In the eye of the storm, Ashish Patel calls on Yogi, seeks CBI probe, leaves for Delhi

Uttar Pradesh technical education minister and Apna Dal (Sonelal) leader Ashish Patel, who has blamed the U.P. information department and the Special Task Force (STF) for hatching a conspiracy against him, called on chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday night to demand a CBI probe into the corruption charges levelled against him by his sister-in-law and Sirathu MLA Pallavi Patel of the Apna Dal (Kamerawadi), a rival faction of Apna Dal (Sonelal).

Pallavi Patel, who was elected to the assembly on the Samajwadi Party ticket, has accused Ashish Patel of corruption in the appointment of the departmental heads in the technical education department.

Later, Ashish Patel, whose wife Anupriya Patel is the Union minister of state for health and family welfare and national president of Apna Dal (Sonelal), left for Delhi where he is likely to meet top BJP leaders, including Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda.

Alleging a conspiracy, Ashish Patel said, “I briefed the chief minister that all the promotions in the technical education department have been done on the basis of recommendations of the departmental promotion committee headed by a senior IAS officer.”

“All the promotions were done in a transparent manner, the OBC and deprived classes have been given maximum benefit in the promotion. If the chief minister deems fit, he can order a CBI enquiry into the promotions as well as all the decisions taken by me as a minister. My political character assassination should be stopped,” Ashish Patel said.

A BJP leader familiar with the developments at the meeting said the chief minister told Ashish Patel that rather than raising the issue on social media and public platforms, he should have taken up the matter with the chief minister. As a minister, he should desist from targeting the state government, Ashish Patel was told, according to the BJP leader.

Ashish Patel had blamed the UP Information Department and Special Task Force (STF) of hatching conspiracy against him, the BJP leader said.

During the recent winter session of the Uttar Pradesh assembly, Pallavi Patel raised the issue of corruption in the appointment of departmental heads in the technical education department. She accused Ashish Patel of indulging in corruption and demanded action. She staged a protest in the Vidhan Bhavan and handed over a memorandum to the governor, demanding a probe into the working of the technical education department.

Addressing a press conference after a party meeting on Thursday, Ashish Patel had said he was ready to be sacked, but would not resign from his ministerial post.

“Those who are afraid and have done something wrong resign. Sack me, if you want but I will not resign. I will resign only if asked to do so by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he had said.

Attacking the UP Special Task Force, Ashish Patel had also said, “You are used to shooting people in the legs. I dare you to shoot me in the chest if you have strength.”

Apna Dal (S) national president Anupriya Patel, who was present in the press conference, came out in defence of her husband, stating that the party will fight the accusations.

“Conspiracy against any worker will not be tolerated, and we will give a befitting reply to the conspirators,” she said.

“No matter how many conspiracies are hatched, how many attempts are made to defame, Apna Dal (S) will continue to raise issues related to social justice. Whatever the cost, the voice of social justice will not be silenced,” Anupriya Patel said.

An ally of the Bhartiya Janata Party, Apna Dal (S) has influence over the OBC voters, particularly the Kurmi community settled in Central and South Uttar Pradesh. The BJP alliance with the Apna Dal (S) began in the 2014 Lok Sabha election after it joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The Apna Dal (S) also contested the 2017 and 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, as well as 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha polls, in alliance with the BJP. It has 13 MLAs in the state assembly and one MP in the Lok Sabha.

After the BJP’s less than expected performance in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the Apna Dal (S) raised the issue of caste census and OBC reservation in government jobs.