Anupriya holds massive rally
VARANASI: Amid a tug-of-war with her mother over inheriting political legacy of her father Sonelal Patel, Apna Dal MP from Mirzapur Anupriya Patel held a massive ‘Swabhiman’ rally on the occasion of 66th birth anniversary her father and party founder at Jagatpur Inter College here on Thursday.
Anupriya is heading a splinter faction of the party while her mother Krishna Patel is leading the other faction of the party. Krishna Patel addressed a separate rally in Allahabad during the day. Buoyed by the massive crowd at the rally, Anupriya demanded a clear stand from the Centre on the issue of reservation in the private sector. “To deny backward community its rights, gradually all departments of the centre are being privatised,” she said.
“The Apna Dal has an understanding with the union government. But the party will continue to carry forward its policies,” she assured the party cadre. Clearly making a desperate bid to emerge as a leader of the backward caste, especially among all powerful Kurmi community, Anupriya said: “On the issue of reservation on party has been honest.”
On the occasion, she also demanded more power for the national commission for backward classes.
“The commission is a paper tiger with no powers. Amendments must be made in the Constitution to make the commission ‘powerful’,” asserted the leader. Targeting the UP government, the MIrzapur MP asked people, “In the last assembly election, you voted for the Samajwadi Party. Now, it is for you to evaluate whether the state government has fulfilled its promises or not.”
She also asserted that the Apna Dal would emerge as an alternative to the Samajwadi Party. On the ongoing internal feud in her party, she alleged leaders of other political parties, especially SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, were behind it. “The Samajwadi Party chief is behind the dispute in Apna Dal. But we will foil all attempts to divide the party,” Anupriya said.
She was the party MLA from Rohania assembly segment of Varanasi. But she vacated the seat after being elected MP from Mirzapur in the last general elections. In the Rohania by-poll, Anupriya’s mother Krishna Patel lost to SP candidate Mahendra Patel, the younger brother of state PWD minister Surendra Patel. After the by-poll, internal bickering in the Apna Dal came in public.
ANUPRIYA IS HEADING A SPLINTER FACTION OF THE PARTY WHILE HER MOTHER KRISHNA PATEL IS LEADING THE OTHER FACTION OF THE PARTY