After Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party` (SBSP) threatened to walk out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Uttar Pradesh,

Apna Dal (S), has called a meeting of all its State and national leaders in Lucknow on February 28 to decide its continuation in the NDA.

Apna Dal, whose leader Anupriya Singh Patel is a Minister for State for Health in the Narendra Modi Cabinet, had won two Lok Sabha seats — Pratapgarth and Mirzapur — in 2014 General Elections.

The meeting next week has come close to the reports that the NDA allay is in touch with the Congress party which is set to contest almost all 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, making the poll contest in the State a triangular one, including the newly formed SP-BSP alliance and the BJP-led NDA.

It is reported that Anupriya Singh Patel and Ashish Patel, held talks with Congress general secretary in charge of east UP, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, at her Delhi residence on Thursday.

The Apna Dal has been threatening to quit the NDA for some time, accusing the Yogi Adityanath headed State Government of not addressing its demands. The party has considerable sway over ‘Kurmis’, a dominant backward caste, in several districts in UP.

Translated in real terms the party seeks more seats in UP, sensing that BJP would not be in a dictating terms like in 2014 when ‘Modi-wave’ had swept the State.

The announcement by the Dal is also seen a “familiar pressure tactics” by the ruling BJP before the seat allotment in the State which is crucial the Government formation at the Centre. 

Another NDA ally Shiv Sena which in the past regularly attacked the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had last week stitched an alliance consenting to contest 23 Lok Sabha seats as against 25 for the

BJP from Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha polls. Sena also agreed to join hands with the BJP in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, sharing equal number of seats.

“We have called our party meeting in Lucknow on February 28 to decide which party to ally with for the Lok Sabha elections in UP,” Ashish, Apna Dal president, said. “All our options are open and answers to all questions will come after the meeting.”

He, however, denied queries on the reported meeting with Priyanka Gandhi. “I am not aware of any such meeting which I was not a part of,” he said. Anupriya could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.

Accusing the BJP of creating confusion and not fulfilling his party’s demands, Uttar Pradesh Minister and SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar had on Friday said the option for his outfit to join the SP-BSP alliance in the State for the upcoming general elections is open.

Rajbhar claimed he is in talks with TMC leader Mamata Banerjee, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackrey, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, SP president Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati, and a decision on retaining or severing ties with the saffron party would be taken after February 24.

He has sought that the UP Government implement Backward Commission report and allocate higher percentage of reservation to the Rajbhar community.