
UP Info dept with Rs 1,700-cr budget used to ‘break' Apna Dal—BJP ally Ashish Patel's dig at Yogi govt
Ashish Patel's attack comes in the wake of a group of dissident leaders launching a new political outfit called Apna Morcha after parting ways with the Apna Dal (S), a BJP ally in the state and at the centre.
Lucknow: Union minister Anupriya Patel's husband Ashish Patel, himself a minister in the Uttar Pradesh government, has accused the Yogi Adityanath government's information department of trying to destabilise his party Apna Dal (Soneylal) by 'pressuring' a section of the media to run false and misleading stories about dissension in the party.
He claimed the information department has been allocated a huge budgetary outlay to pursue this objective.
'What kind and how much pressure does a Rs 1700-crore budget of the information department exert! Ask a section of the media about what they have to write and do under this pressure. They have to show the Apna Dal (S) is falling apart every day,' he said in a post on X in Hindi.
'Sometimes they have to run stories about nine MLAs defecting, sometimes they have to host news of 12 MLAs switching sides. They are under quite a heavy compulsion,' he claimed.
He went on to throw further taunts at the media, giving them 'unsolicited but sensible' advice. 'Don't go through this hassle everyday. Just today, once and for all, break the Apna Dal (S) into as many parts as you want. Nine MLAs or 12 MLAs—assign them to whichever party you wish. And for the satisfaction of your heart, go ahead and write that the Apna Dal (S) no longer exists.'
'That way, the entire hassle ends, those pressuring you will be happy, and the Rs 1700-crore budget of the information department will have been properly utilised. You also won't have to act like slaves to baseless statements and false information from politically dead leaders every single day.'
He then asserted the Apna Dal (S) has been nurtured with the sweat and blood of millions of the marginalised and oppressed, and the party has fought such conspiracies and its workers are well-trained to do so. 'The Apna Dal is not a fragile house of cards, but a kind of grass that sprouts even in adversity.'
He ended his post with a poem of resolve penned by Mahakavi Pash. 'Main ghaas hoon, main aapke har kiye-dhare par ug aaunga. Bomb fenk do chahe vishwavidyalay par, bana do hostel ko malbe ka dher, suhaaga phira do bhale hi hamari jhopadiyon par, mujhe kya karoge? Main to ghaas hoon, har cheez dhank loonga, Har dher par ug aaunga. Main ghaas hoon, main apna kaam karoonga, main aapke har kiye-dhare par ug aaunga. (I am grass. I will sprout back on everything you do. Throw bombs at the university if you must, reduce the hostel to a heap of rubble, smash our huts to pieces if you wish, but what can you do to me? I am grass — I will cover it all. I will sprout from every heap. I am grass — I will do my work. I will grow back over everything you do.'
Also Read: Why Raj Kumar Pal stepped down as UP chief of Apna Dal (S), a '2-personality show'
The beginning of current crisis
On 1 July, a group of Apna Dal(S) dissidents including its former general secretary Arvind Singh Patel, spokesperson Chaudhary Brajendra Pratap Singh Patel, youth wing chief Hemant Chaudhary and almost a dozen Kurmi caste leaders declared the new outfit Apna Morcha as the 'real voice' of Apna Dal (S).
Addressing reporters, these leaders launched a scathing attack on the current leadership of Apna Dal (S), accusing it of sidelining and humiliating founding members and long-time party workers. They also said both Anupriya and Ashish Patel were ignoring Kurmis in the party. The morcha leaders also claimed to be in touch with nine current MLAs of Apna Dal (S).
Earlier this year, Raj Kumar Pal resigned as the Apna Dal(S) state president after accusing the Patels of neglecting him and mistreating party workers. As per sources, Pal has not joined the rebel morcha as he is in talks with the Samajwadi Party.
Ashish Patel said all these are part of a 'gameplan'.
'There is a clear conspiracy against our party. After some rebels formed a morcha, we wrote to the chief minister to remove two rebels as the members of the Purvanchal Vikas Board but that did not happen. We also got inputs that these rebels have the back up of some power centres. We understand this whole gameplan against us. Now, we will not stay silent,' he told ThePrint.
This is not the first time that Ashish Patel has attacked the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government. In January this year, he not only accused then Uttar Pradesh director of information Shishir Singh and chief minister's media advisor Mrityunjay Singh of tarnishing his image by 'planting false stories', but he also dared the Amitabh Yash-led Special Task Force (STF) to shoot him in the chest 'if they have the guts'.
Patel was facing flak from his sister-in-law Pallavi Patel for alleged irregularities and corruption in promotion of candidates in technical education department, which he heads as the minister.
His wife and Apna Dal (Sonelal) national president Anupriya Patel has also been targeting the Adityanath-led government for some time. Just after the Lok Sabha poll results in 2024, she wrote to him, alleging that reserved seats meant for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) had been 'unreserved' during the government recruitment process.
The letter came in the backdrop of the BJP's relatively weak performance in the Lok Sabha polls and the concern among the coalition partners about SC and OBC voters shifting to the Opposition bloc.
Both husband and wife always praise Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in their speeches but avoid taking the name of Yogi Adityanath.
In Uttar Pradesh, Kurmis are considered the second largest OBC group after Yadavs, holding significant political influence across various regions of the state. Given their importance, the BJP cannot afford to lose a key ally representing this community.
Though chief minister Aditynath has not responded to this issue yet, a senior functionary at the chief minister's office said, 'The matter is essentially a tussle between the Centre and the state. While Anupriya and Ashish Patel enjoy a strong rapport with the central leadership, their relations with the state leadership are strained. As a result, they are now being used as pawns to tarnish the image of the state government.'
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also Read: Behind Apna Dal (S) naming a Dalit UP chief, a bid to cut into BSP's voter base

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hans India
31 minutes ago
- Hans India
CM Fadnavis orders probe into tender process involving Shiv Sena Minister's son
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday announced a high-level enquiry into the tender process for the sale of Hotel VITS at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar which involved the company of state's Social Justice Minister and Shiv Sena leader, Sanjay Shirsat's son Siddhant. He made this announcement during a discussion on a Calling Attention Motion moved by Leader of the Opposition Ambadas Danve on the now cancelled tender process for the sale of the said hotel. Danve said, "A company formed in 2024 was allowed to participate in the bid. The hotel bid was fixed at the 2018 rate, which was severely undervalued. The cartelisation of the companies led to acceptance of a tender of a company which did not have three years of ITR as required. Will there be action against the officials and the company which had won the tender?" Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule informed that the said tender process has now been cancelled. "We had previously issued six tenders since 2018, for which no company came forward. The hotel's value was fixed based on the special MPID court," he said. The VITS hotel was the property of Dhanada Corporation Limited, listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. In 2016 and 2017, the properties of the company were seized including the said hotel. In a bid to return the money of shareholders, its auction was held. However, according to the minister, no company came forward for six tender processes held since 2018. Danve said that M/s Siddhant Material Procurement and Supply company won the tender at a small price of Rs 65 crore at a time when the current valuation of the hotel is around Rs 150 crore. He mentioned that the owner of the company that bid for the hotel is Siddhant Shirsat, the son of a minister and the minister's election affidavit for year 2024 shows no property belonging to his son. He was joined by Opposition MLCs Anil Parab, Bhai Jagtap and Shashikant Shinde seeking action from the government on officials as well as the company owner. As Bawankule maintained that the tender process had been cancelled and the new process would take all the precautions, the Opposition pressed for action and resignation of Minister Shirsat. Amid sloganeering, Minister Shirsat presented his side. "The entire process has run through court orders. Every tender has been issued after a court order and not by officials. Nobody came forward when the tender was issued six times," said Shirsat, adding that all the allegations were false and baseless. As the sloganeering continued, Chief Minister Fadnavis said that the Revenue Minister has clarified that the process has been cancelled. "It is important such cases should have transparency. Therefore, a high level enquiry will be conducted to probe as to whether any irregularity has taken place in the entire process," he added.


News18
34 minutes ago
- News18
'Not Anti-Hindi': Uddhav Sena Distances From Stalin's Hardline Approach Amid Language Row
Shiv Sena (UBT) downplayed Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin's support to Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, emphasizing their opposition to Hindi is limited to primary schools. The Shiv Sena (UBT) downplayed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's support to the estranged cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, who joined hands to celebrate their victory over the Maharashtra government's decision to roll back Hindi as a third language from primary classes, saying that their opposition to Hindi is limited solely to its inclusion in primary schools. After Stalin urged for unity against imposition of Hindi from Thackeray brothers, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut drew parallels between Maharashtra's pushback on Hindi and the more hardline opposition in Tamil Nadu, saying that the party only opposed the Centre's imposition of Hindi in primary education and it does not support a complete rejection of the language. 'The Southern states have been fighting for this issue for years. Their stand against the imposition of Hindi means they will not speak Hindi and neither let anyone speak Hindi. But that is not our stand in Maharashtra. We speak Hindi… Our stand is that the strictness for Hindi in primary schools will not be tolerated," Raut said as quoted by news agency ANI on Sunday. #WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says, 'The Southern states have been fighting for this issue for years. Their stand against the imposition of Hindi means they will not speak Hindi and neither let anyone speak Hindi. But that is not our stand in… — ANI (@ANI) July 6, 2025 After the Thackeray brothers' victory rally last week gave fresh vigour to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to fight Hindi dominance unitedly, Raut doused the fiery endorsement and wished Stalin luck in his battle. 'MK Stalin has congratulated us on this win of ours and said that he will learn from this. We wish him the best. But we haven't stopped anyone from speaking in Hindi because we have Hindi movies, Hindi theatre, and Hindi music here," he added. On the allegations of BJP that the Thackerays have made the issue of Hindi-Marathi political, he said, 'Yes, the two brothers have come together for politics…otherwise what have they come together for? Why have you come together with (deputy chief chief ministers) Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare…is that for social service or distribution of wealth that they had accumulated?" MNS leader and former minister Bala Nandgaonkar also echoed similar sentiments saying that the two parties are not against Hindi. 'We are against the introduction of Hindi in classes 1-5," he said. Stalin's Support To Thackerays Following the rally by the Thackeray cousins in Mumbai, Stalin said that the struggle against Hindi imposition had 'transcended boundaries" and that the rally filled him with 'immense excitement". 'The language rights struggle, waged generation after generation by the DMK and the people of Tamil Nadu to defeat Hindi imposition, has now transcended state boundaries and is swirling like a storm of protest in Maharashtra," Stalin said. இந்தித் திணிப்பை முறியடிக்க திராவிட முன்னேற்றக் கழகமும், தமிழ்நாட்டு மக்களும் தலைமுறை தலைமுறையாக நடத்திவரும் மொழி உரிமைப் போர், மாநில எல்லைகளைக் கடந்து இப்போது மராட்டியத்தில் போராட்டச் சூறாவளியாகச் சுழன்றடித்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறது.தமிழ்நாட்டுப் பள்ளிகளில் மூன்றாவது மொழியாக… — (@mkstalin) July 5, 2025 'The enthusiasm and powerful oratory of the victory rally held today in Mumbai under the leadership of brother Uddhav Thackeray against Hindi imposition fills us with immense excitement," he added. The DMK chief further reiterated his resistance to the NEP's language policy and accused the BJP of linking the release of Rs 2,152 crore under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan to Tamil Nadu's acceptance of Hindi and Sanskrit through the backdoor. He framed the opposition as a cultural safeguard rather than a political battle: 'The stance of the people of the state is for protection of India's pluralistic culture, not one that is driven by hatred." In a final warning to the BJP, Stalin declared: 'The BJP must atone for the betrayal it has committed against Tamil and Tamil Nadu. If not, Tamil Nadu will once again teach the BJP and its new allies a lesson they will never forget." Thackeray Brothers Reunion In a rare show of unity, the Thackeray cousins shared the stage for the first time in two decades at the Awaj Marathicha rally in Mumbai to celebrate the rollback of the controversial Hindi language policy in primary schools in Maharashtra. While addressing the joint rally at the NSCI Dome in Worli, Raj Thackeray said, 'Chief Minister Fadnavis managed to do what Balasaheb Thackeray could not – bring me and Uddhav together." Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday asserted that he and his cousin have 'come together to stay together". 'Raj, I and everyone else here is united. We have come together to stay together," he said, saying that they will capture power in the Mumbai civic body and Maharashtra together. top videos View all The language row came when the Maharashtra government issued an order in April to make Hindi as the compulsory third language for students in their primary classes. Amid backlash from regional parties, the NDA government amended its April 16 Government Resolution (GR) on June 17, changing Hindi from a compulsory to an optional subject. tags : Hindi maharashtra marathi MK Stalin Raj Thackeray tamil uddhav thackeray Location : Mumbai, India, India First Published: July 07, 2025, 18:07 IST News politics 'Not Anti-Hindi': Uddhav Sena Distances From Stalin's Hardline Approach Amid Language Row


Economic Times
41 minutes ago
- Economic Times
US stock market futures today: Dow Jones, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures drop as Tesla plunges 7% and Trump tariff warning shakes Wall Street
Synopsis Dow futures fall as President Donald Trump's tariff deadline approaches, raising fresh concerns on Wall Street. With the 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs ending July 9, Trump officials warn duties could return to their harsh 'Liberation Day' levels by August 1 unless new trade deals are signed. The market reaction was swift—Dow, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 futures slipped, while oil, gold, and Treasury yields also dipped. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick signaled the White House will push forward with tariffs up to 70% if talks stall. Investors now watch for Fed minutes and global trade responses. Dow futures fall as Trump's tariff pause nears its end, with reciprocal tariffs possibly returning by August 1. Market reactions include falling stock futures, oil prices, and Treasury yields as trade uncertainty grows ahead of key Fed minutes this week. Dow futures fall as Trump's tariff deadline nears, raising fears of economic backlash- U.S. stock futures dropped Sunday evening as investors braced for the possible return of steep tariffs, with President Donald Trump's 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs set to expire this Wednesday, July 9. Markets had hoped for an extension, but administration officials signaled that unless trade agreements are reached soon, tariffs will snap back to 'Liberation Day' levels by August 1. This has sent a fresh wave of concern through Wall Street, with investors recalling the sharp April 2 stock drop triggered by those same tariff levels. Now, with time running out, uncertainty over trade policy is rattling equities, commodities, and currencies all at once. S&P 500 futures : -0.32% at 5,611.50 : at Dow Jones Industrial Average futures : -0.28% at 39,205.00 : at Nasdaq-100 futures: -0.47% at 20,215.75 All three major benchmarks are set to open in the red, signaling a cautious start to the trading week. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 120 points, or 0.27%, in early evening trading Sunday, reflecting investor concerns about the economic impact of renewed tariffs. S&P 500 futures dropped 0.41%, while Nasdaq futures declined 0.50%, suggesting a cautious start to the trading week. These losses follow Trump's Thursday announcement that letters setting tariffs as high as 70% would begin going out—sending a warning to nations not yet in agreement with the U.S. on trade terms. Also Read: Investors flee Tesla after Elon Musk reveals America Party— stock nosedives 7% Tesla (TSLA) : -6.96% , as political news overshadows EV and AI progress. : , as political news overshadows EV and AI progress. Nvidia (NVDA) : -1.2% in premarket, pressured by tech sentiment and China exposure. : in premarket, pressured by tech sentiment and China exposure. Apple (AAPL) : -0.5% , with tariff worries hitting electronics exporters. : , with tariff worries hitting electronics exporters. Boeing (BA) : -0.6% , facing potential European tariff risks. : , facing potential European tariff risks. Amazon (AMZN): -0.3%, showing relative resilience amid broader tech softness. Trump administration insiders made it clear: if countries don't finalize trade deals, duties will 'boomerang back' to previous highs. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said rates will return to April 2 levels, while Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick emphasized that Trump is actively setting rates and shaping deals now, ahead of the August 1 enforcement date. Dow Jones futures : Down approximately 0.27% (about 120 points) : Down approximately (about 120 points) S&P 500 futures : Down around 0.41% : Down around Nasdaq futures: Dropping by 0.50% SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) : 625.34 USD, up 0.008% : 625.34 USD, up 0.008% Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) : 556.22 USD, up 0.010% : 556.22 USD, up 0.010% SPDR Dow Jones ETF (DIA): 448.09 USD, up 0.008% 10-Year U.S. Treasury Yield : 4.33%, down 1 basis point : 4.33%, down 1 basis point Gold : $3,325.20 per ounce , down 0.53% : , down U.S. Crude Oil (WTI) : $65.85 per barrel , down 1.72% : , down Brent Crude : $67.65 per barrel , down 0.95% : , down USD vs Euro : Dollar down 0.05% : Dollar down USD vs Yen: Dollar down 0.03% If trading partners fail to secure new deals with the U.S. by the end of July, tariffs will revert to the tough levels imposed on 'Liberation Day'—Trump's term for the original deadline that kicked off tariff escalation. According to Bessent, this would replicate the conditions that caused the stock market's sharp crash in early April, before Trump implemented the current 90-day reprieve to give time for negotiation. The administration's current stance implies that the window for diplomacy is rapidly closing. While many analysts hoped for a full extension beyond July 9, Sunday's remarks suggest only a few extra weeks at best. This policy uncertainty is weighing on global market sentiment. President Trump signaled new tariffs on Chinese electronics and European autos may take effect by August 1, intensifying global trade war fears. The uncertainty is weighing heavily on manufacturing, industrials, and tech. Shares of Tesla Inc. (TSLA) are down nearly 7% in premarket trading to $305.25, after Elon Musk announced the creation of the 'America Party'—a third political group. The news triggered investor concerns about Musk's focus and its effect on Tesla's growth prospects. WTI crude : Down 1.3% to $73.41 per barrel on easing OPEC+ supply cuts. : Down to on easing OPEC+ supply cuts. 10-year U.S. Treasury yield: Up 3 basis points to 4.36%, indicating caution amid inflation uncertainty. The tariff news didn't just hit stocks—bond yields, gold, oil, and currency markets also moved. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield dipped by 1 basis point to 4.33%, signaling a modest shift toward safer assets. Gold prices fell 0.53% to $3,325.20 per ounce, reflecting slight liquidation by traders, possibly due to profit-taking or broader market jitters. The U.S. dollar edged lower, down 0.05% against the euro and 0.03% against the Japanese yen. In the oil markets, U.S. crude prices fell 1.72% to $65.85 per barrel, while Brent crude lost 0.95%, settling at $67.65. This drop followed OPEC+'s announcement of a larger-than-expected increase in output for August, adding supply pressure to already fragile energy markets. While economic data this week is light, all eyes will be on the Federal Reserve's meeting minutes, which are set to be released on Wednesday. With markets already jittery due to tariff risks, any insight into the Fed's stance on interest rates or inflation could swing investor sentiment sharply. Traders are likely to look for signals about whether the Fed is preparing for more aggressive tightening, especially if tariffs reignite inflation concerns. Index/Asset Value Change Dow Futures ↓ 120 pts -0.27% S&P 500 Futures — -0.41% Nasdaq Futures — -0.50% 10-Yr Treasury 4.33% -1 bps Gold $3,325.20 -0.53% Crude Oil (WTI) $65.85 -1.72% Brent Oil $67.65 -0.95% President Trump's next moves will be critical. As he continues sending letters to countries warning of tariffs up to 70%, trade partners will face mounting pressure to finalize agreements before August 1. The risk of a trade standoff looms large, particularly with little time left before the current reprieve ends. Fed minutes (Wednesday) : Key insight into future rate policy amid softening inflation. : Key insight into future rate policy amid softening inflation. CPI inflation data (Thursday) : June figures expected to show year-over-year cooling below 3.1% . : June figures expected to show year-over-year cooling below . Earnings season kickoff: JPMorgan, Citigroup, and Delta Airlines report later this week. For now, investors are treading carefully, watching both policy signals from Washington and global reactions. The countdown has begun, and without a breakthrough soon, markets could face another wave of volatility, just like they did in early April. Q1: Why are Dow futures falling ahead of Trump's tariff deadline? Dow futures are dropping as Trump's 90-day tariff pause ends and higher duties may return by August 1. Q2: What happens if trade deals aren't made before Trump's tariff deadline? If no trade deals are signed, tariffs may 'boomerang back' to previous levels, hitting markets hard again.