Sone Lal Patel-led Apna Dal in merger talks with BJP

NEW DELHI: Time was when the BJP used to showcase Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar as the NDA’s Kurmi face for electoral campaigns in Uttar Pradesh. The effort, then, was to combat the Sone Lal Patel-led Apna Dal.

Now, less than a year after Kumar’s Janata Dal (U) walked out of the NDA, the BJP is in talks with the Apna Dal for a tie-up and, if possible, a merger.

This could affect the party’s fortunes in at least five seats in eastern UP, especially Varanasi, Mirzapur and Allahabad.

Apna Dal chief and MLA from Ruhania, Anupriya Patel was in Delhi this week and held talks with Amit Shah, the BJP’s incharge for UP. The BJP favoured a merger rather than an alliance.