In UP, BJP's allies seek pound of flesh ahead of key bypolls

Lucknow: Seeking to put pressure on BJP in Uttar Pradesh, the alliance partners of the saffron party have demanded their pound of flesh from the BJP and staked claim on as many as five of the ten seats where assembly by-polls are scheduled to be held in the near future.

BJP had earlier hinted that it would like to contest eight of the ten seats but it’s plan appeared to be in jeopardy after its alliance partners, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Nishad Party (NP) and the Apna Dal (AD) demanded five seats from the saffron party.

The Nishad Party, in fact, went on to publicly declare that it would put up its candidates on Majhawan and Katehari assembly seats even as the BJP made it clear that no decision had been taken on the issue of seat sharing as yet

Nishad Party chief and UP minister Sanjay Nishad said that his party had contested Majhawan and Katehari assembly seats in 2022 and therefore it should be given these two seats.

The RLD has also staked claim on two seats while Apna Dal has demanded one seat.

According to the RLD sources, the party wanted to contest on Khair and Mirapur assembly seats. The RLD had contested these two seats in the 2022 assembly polls in alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP). The party had managed to win the Mirapur seat.

BJP has also staked its claim on Khair seat since the party had won the seat in the previous assembly elections.

The Apna Dal has demanded Sisamau assembly seat from the BJP. ‘’BJP has not been able to win the Sisamau seat in the past 25 years….the SP had won this seat in the 2022 assembly polls ... BJP has nothing to lose if it allots this seat to us,’’ said an AD leader here on Thursday.

According to the sources, BJP did not want to allot five seats to its alliance partners and wanted to contest on eight seats. The saffron party has already deployed its ministers on eight of the ten seats going to the by-polls.

Of the ten seats, where by-polls would be held, five were held by the Samajwadi Party (SP), three by the BJP and one each by the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Nishad Party.

Although the outcome of the assembly by-polls would have no effect on the BJP-led government in the state, the saffron party, after its dismal performance in the state in the LS polls, would certainly go all out to regain its sitting seats and also wrest a few from the SP.