Lucknow: It seems that Samajwadi Party was not the only party hit hard by the bitter family feud. There seems to be other parties in the state, which, too, roiled by rifts and are bracing themselves for similar consequences.
To begin with, former BSP minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui, an influential leader in the Bahujan Samaj Party after party chief Mayawati, faced an embarrassment after his brother, Hasanuddin Siddiqui, joined the Samajwadi Party. Mr Hasanuddin Siddiqui will contest the elections from a seat in Bundelkhand.
Another BSP leader Satish Chandra Misra faced an embarrassment after his cousin Divya Misra switched loyalities and joined the BJP party. Ms Misra was a minister in the Mayawati government. The BSP cadres are now questioning Ms Misra over her decision..
A political analyst, meanwhile, said that the trend was catching on because politicians wanted a finger in every pie. “It is convenient because you have members in different parties and the family remains connected to power centers”, he said.
Meanwhile, minister of state for health and family welfare Anupriya Patel, whose faction in the Apna Dal party decided to align with the BJP in the state, irked Apna President and her mother Krishna Patel, who wanted to form an alliance with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav camp.
The Congres party was too roiled by rifts in the party. Former Congress MP Begum Noor Bano objected to her son Nawab Kazim Ali, who was a Congress MLA from Swar, joining the BSP party. Mr Ali will now fight from Swar. Another Congress MP Sanjay Singh, who represents Amethi, is being challenged by his own estranged son Anant Vikram Singh, who had crossed over to BJP. Mr Anant Vikram will be pitted against his step mother Ameta Singh, the Congress candidate.
Former SP leader Anand Singh was dismissed from Mr Akhilesh Yadav government after his son Kirit Vardhan joined the BJP in Lok Sabha elections in 2014. Mr Vardhan won the election. Mr Anand Singh was also denied a ticket by the SP.
A politician, who didn’t wish to be named, admitted that his own political career was in doldrums because of a family member’s decision to join a rival party.
