Apna Dal, SBSP accuse BJP of not taking care of allies; threaten to part ways

The BJP's key allies in Uttar Pradesh, the Apna Dal and the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) have expressed "displeasure" with the saffron party for allegedly not taking care of its alliance partners and said they were "open" to taking their own course of action in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.

While the Apna Dal said it was "free to make its own decision", the SBSP went a step ahead asserting that its option to join the SP-BSP alliance in the state for the upcoming general elections was open.

"Some differences cropped up between the Apna Dal and the BJP. We had given them time till February 20 to resolve the issues, but there is no answer from the BJP. It appears they are not interested in taking care of their allies," Apna Dal leader and Union minister Anupriya Patel on Friday told reporters in Bareilly.

"Now, the Apna Dal is free to make its own decision. A party meeting has been called to chalk out our future course of action," she said.

The party, a crucial ally of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, had won two seats -- Mirzapur and Pratapgarh -- in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

In Ballia, Uttar Pradesh minister and SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar on Friday accused the BJP of creating confusion and not fulfilling his party's demands, and said the option for his outfit to join the SP-BSP alliance in the state for the upcoming general elections was "open".

The SBSP, which has four MLAs in the 403-member Assembly, had contested the Uttar Pradesh civic polls separately.

Rajbhar said he was in talks with TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, SP president Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati, and a decision on retaining or severing ties with the saffron party would be taken after February 24.

He had last week written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to give up the charge of the backward class welfare department, expressing disappointment that his recommendations on appointment of state backward castes panel members have been "ignored".

However on February 17, the SBSP chief said his offer to give up the charge of the department was not accepted by the chief minister, who had assured him that the matter would be looked into.

"The BJP is creating confusion. I am not satisfied with the talks with him (BJP chief). Discussions are going on for a number of days... They are promising but not fulfilling our demands," alleged Rajbhar, who had recently met BJP national president Amit Shah.

Asked about the possibility of him parting ways with the BJP, he said, "The option of tying up with the SP-BSP alliance or with any other party is open. We can go anywhere."