BJP, Apna Dal, Nishad Party to fight Uttar Pradesh polls together; seat talks on

The BJP firmed up its alliance with Apna Dal and Nishad party on Wednesday after a meeting with leaders of the two parties, both of which command sizable Kurmi and Nishad backward caste votes in Uttar Pradesh.

However, the three parties have yet to finalise seat-sharing between them for the 403-member UP assembly election.

BJP chief JP Nadda, home minister Amit Shah, BJP election in-charge of UP and education minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a meeting with Apna Dal chief Anupriya Patel and Nishad Party head Sanjay Nishad at the BJP headquarters on Wednesday.


Nadda told media persons that detailed discussions took place between the three parties over the past few days and that they will contest the UP election as allies. The BJP is taking its allies along in "letter and spirit", he said.

While the number of seats to be allocated to Apna Dal and Nishad Party have almost been finalised, there are still some issues to be settled, said people aware of the matter. An announcement is likely on Thursday.

The BJP central election committee met on Wednesday to discuss candidates for UP, Uttarakhand and Goa polls. The list for the third and fourth phase of UP and the February 14 polls in Uttarakhand and Goa may be announced on Wednesday.

Patel told the media that the "cocktail" of development and social justice stitched by the alliance between BJP, Apna Dal and Nishad Party had worked well and the state has benefited from it.

Nishad said Lord Ram and the Nishad king were friends and this alliance has continued. Praising the BJP leadership, Nishad said, "BJP delivers on its promises sooner or later, be it the Article 370 issue, or construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya." He maintained that while other political parties had taken a nebulous stand on demands of Nishads and other backwards, the BJP has paid heed to their needs.