Anupriya Patel faction of Apna Dal approaches EC against Krishna Patel faction

The Anupriya Patel faction of Apna Dal has approached the Election Commission (EC) against the Krishna Patel faction for using the party name during electioneering in the impending Lok Sabha elections, slated to commence from April 11.

The Apna Dal (Anupriya Patel faction) said that the Krishna Patel faction has not been registered as a political party with the EC, as per a press statement dated March 30.

The Anupriya Patel faction of the party claimed that the Krishna Patel faction was campaigning under the party's name with banners, flag and posters despite not being authorised to use a bank account.

Such an activity is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), the Anupriya Patel faction of Apna Dal said in the statement.

The faction said that electioneering without operating a bank account is illegal and violates the Income Tax rules.

On March 16, Apna Dal's Krishna Patel faction forged an alliance with the Congress party and finalised the seat-sharing arrangement for upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh.

As per the arrangement, Apna Dal will be contesting from Basti and Pilibhit parliamentary constituencies in the state.

Pankaj Niranjan Singh Chandel, son-in-law of Krishna Patel, has also taken membership of the Congress.

Apna Dal's Anupriya Patel faction had entered into an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections and will be contesting on two seats in Uttar Pradesh.

The Apna Dal was founded by Sone Lal Patel in 1995. After his death in a car accident in 2009, the party was split between Krishna Patel and Anupriya Patel.