Apna Dal(K) forms new alliance with AIMIM in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow, March 31 (IANS) – Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) have formed a new alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. The alliance was officially announced at a joint press conference in Lucknow with a new slogan, PDM (Pichhda, Dalit and Musalman).

The alliance was confirmed after Apna Dal (K) leader Pallavi Patel met AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi in Hyderabad three days prior to the announcement. The decision came after Apna Dal (K) withdrew its candidates from three Lok Sabha seats in the state, expressing a shift in their election strategy.

The alliance was particularly significant as it followed a rift between Apna Dal (K) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) during the recent Rajya Sabha election. Patel’s insistence on supporting the PDA candidate led to the split, prompting her to seek out new allies.

Former UP Minister Swami Prasad Maurya also made an announcement on Sunday, revealing his intention to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Kushinagar as a candidate of his party, Rashtriya Shoshit Samaj Party (RSSP). Maurya expressed disappointment with the lack of response from the INDIA bloc constituents for a seat-sharing arrangement.

In Uttar Pradesh, the SP and Congress have finalized a seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming elections, with the Congress contesting 17 seats and the SP fielding candidates in 63 seats. The state will vote in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 4.