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Rediff.com  » News » BJP gears up to woo minorities

BJP gears up to woo minorities

Source: PTI
May 26, 2007 00:17 IST
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Stung by reverses in recent UP polls, the BJP on Friday announced a slew of measures to woo minorities, particularly Muslims, in rural areas in a big way.

The party has set up a national working committee for the minorities. For the first time, a national convention of minorities will be organised in September this year, BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters here.

"It has been felt the correct image of BJP is not disseminated among the masses. People still think this is not the party of Muslims. We want to clear this misunderstanding," Hussain, who is party's minorities wing president, said.

Unveiling the campaign plan, he said under the new organisational set up, party workers will go to rural areas "in a big way and clear the misunderstanding" about the party among the people.

"Muslims have more freedom of putting across issues in BJP than in the Congress," Hussain said rejecting the notion that community leaders were sidelined in the party ranks.

Taking on the Congress-led UPA coalition, the BJP leader said it has done "nothing on the ground" for the Muslims except making announcements in its three-year rule.

"By announcing loan preference for the Muslims, it wants to divide bank credit system on communal lines. It is a known fact that there are already minority finance commissions," Hussain said. "It is helping none, except that they are deliberately putting Muslims on the path of confrontation," he added.

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