"We are confident that public will extend support to us.." says Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) leader Pallavi Patel on alliance with AIMIM

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 1 (ANI): Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) leader Pallavi Patel expressed confidence in the Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) forged with AIMIM ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
"We have respected the sentiments of the people and been given a new option by forming an alliance with AIMIM. We are confident that the public will extend their support to us," Pallavi Patel said on Monday.
Earlier on Sunday, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) announced an alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha elections.
Apna Dal (Kamerawadi)'s leader Pallavi Patel and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi led the alliance, which has been named PDM, which means "Pichda, Dalit and Musalman."
Patel further emphasised the significance of the alliance, citing the 2022 results. She highlighted that, despite this success, Akhilesh Yadav solely claimed credit for the victory, disregarding the contributions of other allies.
"An alliance was formed in 2022 and the result of that alliance was that the Samajwadi Party got 111 seats and the voting percentage was above 34%. After getting that, Akhilesh Ji accepted that the entire vote was his. He completely rejected all other allies," Pallavi Patel said.
Acknowledging the strength and experience of Swami Prasad Maurya, Patel stated, "Swami Prasad Maurya is a very strong leader, he has a lot of experience and has fought a long battle for social justice. He is already with us and as for the seats he has declared, if he wants, we will campaign there."
On February 20, Maurya resigned from the SP's primary membership and the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council and announced the formation of a new party.
Days after resigning from his MLC seat and severing connections with the Samajwadi Party, Swami Prasad Maurya launched his new political party, the Rashtriya Shoshit Samaj Party (RSSP), in New Delhi on February 22.
Other parties like Premchand Bind's Pragatisheel Manav Samaj Party and Rashtriya Uday Party are also included in the alliance.
Recently, the Samajwadi Party called off its ties with Apna Dal (Kameravadi) amid the differences between the alliance partners that had been playing out in public for a long time.
Responding to a media inquiry on Thursday, SP president Akhilesh Yadav said, "We were in alliance with Apna Dal (Kameravadi) in the 2022 Assembly polls but it is not in 2024."
Rift between the two parties came to the fore when Apna Dal (K) leader and MLA Pallavi Patel refused to vote for two SP candidates in the February Rajya Sabha polls, saying that the SP had ignored its own PDA (Pichda, Dalit, Alpasankhyak) formula in its choice of candidates. She eventually claimed she had voted for the only Dalit among the three SP candidates.
The Apna Dal (K) is a faction of the Apna Dal founded by OBC leader Dr Sonelal Patel, who died in a road accident in 2009.
Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases beginning April 19. Uttar Pradesh, which sends the maximum number of MPs, 80, to Parliament, will vote in all seven phases.
Voting for phases one and two will be held on April 19 and April 26. Next, the state will once again poll in phases three and four on May 7 and May 13.
The Uttar Pradesh electorate will also vote in phases five, six and seven on May 20, May 23 and June 1 respectively.
The votes will be counted on June 4. (ANI)