Allies in UP hurt by BJP's 'arrogant attitude', skip PM Modi's event

Apna Dal is miffed with how Union Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel is being neglected and is not being invited to events related to her ministry.

LUCKNOW: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received a major blow after its allies in Uttar Pradesh - Apna Dal and the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) - decided to stay away from events to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.

Apna Dal has stated that it is hurt by the 'arrogant attitude of the BJP leaders in Uttar Pradesh'. The party also stated that it is miffed with how Union Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel is being neglected and is not being invited to events related to her ministry.

"The arrogant attitude of BJP UP leaders is insulting weaker sections of the society. I appeal to the PM to intervene. Till the matter is solved, we will not be part of any government programmes in UP," Ashish Patel, the state unit chief of Apna Dal, said. Patel also exuded confidence that BJP chief Amit Shah will hear the problems of the allies. 

Apna Dal has fought both the 2014 Lok Sabha and 2017 state Assembly polls together with the BJP.

Another ally of the BJP, the SBSP said that it will "boycott" Prime Minister's programmes. The announcement comes at a time when Modi is scheduled to release a postal stamp in the name of Maharaja Suheldev during the event. 

The SBSP has claimed that the party chief and state Minister for Backward Classes Welfare Om Prakash Rajbhar's name has been "deliberately omitted from the invitation card".

While the Apna Dal has two Lok Sabha MPs and 9 seats in the 403-member state Assembly, the SBSP has four legislators in the state.