Factional fight gets sharp in BJP ally Apna Dal

The simmering discontent in Apna Dal, a regional outfit which won two seats in the Lok Sabha polls, in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has now come out in open.

While Mirzapur MP Anupriya Patel has declared herself the national president of the party, her mother Krishna Patel's supporters broke open the party office's lock in Lucknow late Thursday and staked right over the party office.

Incensed at the developments, Anupriya has lodged a police complaint against her mother and other Apna Dal workers, alleging tresspass and forcible entry into the party office.

The Krishna Patel faction, however, has sacked Anupriya from all party posts and nullified her primary membership as well.

Pallavi, younger daughter of Krishna, alleges that the divide was caused by Anupriya's husband, who wants some party posts. Krishna Patel camp points out that she was elected as the party's national president for three years in November 2014.

Anupriya was present at the November meeting and had endorsed the decisions, said a close aide of Krishna Patel, widow of party founder Sone Lal Patel.

Anupriya has since lodged an FIR against five named and eight unidentified people at a local police station. The party has some following among the Kurmi caste members and won two Lok Sabha seats -- Mirzapur and Pratapgarh - in last general elections.

-- Indo-Asian News Service

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