New Delhi, Jan 13 (IANS): The Nishad Party, which is contesting elections in Uttar Pradesh in alliance with the BJP, has claimed that the BJP has agreed to give it 15 to 18 seats in the state.

It is contesting the assembly polls in alliance with the BJP for the first time.

Party President Sanjay Nishad told IANS, "We discussed the issue of seat sharing at a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah. They have agreed to give us seats on which the party was preparing for the last 7 years. However, out of 15-18 seats, our candidates will fight on the BJP symbol on 2-3 seats as per the alliance strategy. We will try our best to help each other win as many seats as possible."

The BJP in 2017 fought the state elections together with the Apna Dal and Omprakash Rajbhar's Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party. Rajbhar is now with the Samajwadi Party (SP), while the BJP got a new ally in the Nishad Party.

On the question of several leaders, ministers and MLAs leaving the BJP, Sanjay Nishad said, "The ministers you are talking about are those who were talking something else during Prime Minister's rally 15 days ago, and now they are saying something else. After 15 days, they will again say something else."

"Earlier, our boat's master for 70 years used to be someone else, who used to drown our boat. Now, Sanjay Nishad is his own master. Since 2019, we are winning with the BJP, even when SP and the BSP came together. In 2022 too, we will win," he added.

On the Congress releasing a list of 50 women candidates, Nishad said, "There is a difference between distributing tickets and winning seats. This is nothing but a political stunt."

On the question of not aligning with Akhilesh Yadav, Nishad said, "Our vote is for a purpose. Nishad Party, Apna Dal and BJP are together to defeat those forces which exploited us for 70 years."