BJP's blow to Yadav clan, aims to break dynastic politics with Aparna joining its ranks

By Payal Mehta
New Delhi [India], January 19 : With the joining of Aparna Yadav, daughter-in-law of Mulayam Singh Yadav, in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday morning, the party is hoping to have dealt a blow to the Yadav family.
When a close family member leaves a party that is dynastic in nature, just few days to go before the election, it says a lot about the party, said sources in the BJP.
BJP sources went on to say that it really shows that not even the near and dear ones of the Yadav family are together or have any bonding despite the fact that the patriarch of the party Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) is still active in politics.
Speculation is rife that Aparna Yadav wants to be fielded from the Lucknow Cantonment seat, from where she had contested her debut election on the SP ticket in 2017 but lost.
Aparna feels that she has worked in the Lucknow Cantonment constituency. Aparna Yadav told ANI, "I have done a lot of work in that area and I am confident that I will do well."
She further said, "The final decision lies with my party, BJP, and whatever decision the core committee of the party takes will be acceptable to me."
Aparna also called on the clarion call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying, "The only way to save the nation is to go on the nationalism path and the BJP has been a nationalist party so I have a great appreciation for PM Modi and the BJP leadership."
"I have always been very vocal about the policies and ideologies of PM Modi and BJP. Nationalism is a very important aspect of my life. I've always thought of nation before anything. Whatever they'll say, I do it (will you contest from Lucknow Cantt seat)," she added.
On asking whether her brother-in-law Akhilesh Yadav is now nervous for the upcoming polls, Aparna said, "What can I say?"
Aparna joined BJP today in Delhi in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and BJP State president Swatantra Dev Singh.
In 2011, she married Pratik Yadav, the younger son of Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Notably, Aparna made her political debut in the 2017 assembly elections in the state by contesting from the Lucknow Cantt seat. However, she was defeated by BJP's Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who had secured nearly 63,000 votes.
Besides politics, Aparna runs an organisation named 'bAware' for the welfare of women. She also runs a shelter for cows in Lucknow.
In the past as well, she has praised BJP's initiatives in the state and had also donated Rs 11 lakh for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Elections to the 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10. The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, and March 3 and 7 in seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.