UP MLA Shrikant Sharma said rumours of the discontentment of the Brahmins with the BJP in Uttar Pradesh were misinformation promoted by the opposition because they lack an issue to pose a challenge to the party and get clean-bowled on the issue of development.
The MLA was talking to the media after a meeting of UP MPs and Ministers with the state election in charge, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
"It is a mere rumour and misinformation being spread by the opposition. If there's any party that respects Brahmins, it's the Bharatiya Janata Party. We have a lot of them (Brahmins) working in our party as ministers and party workers. BJP does not do caste-based politics either. BJP is on the pitch with the issue of development and they (opposition) get 'clean-bowled' on this particular issue. The opposition does not have anything to say and that is why such a wrong perception of BJP is being made. They would not succeed in their motives, they got no issue," said Sharma while talking to media.
He said that the people in UP are well-aware of their (opposition) true colours and they promoted 'loot-tantra' while in power.
"They do not have anything to do with development. They have been in governments previously and gave protection to the land and alcohol mafia," he added.
Sharma remarked that Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP) and other coalitions epitomise darkness and darkness does not have a place in 'Ujjala Pradesh' anymore which is witnessing development at a faster rate under the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'Double-engine government' at the centre and in the state.
The MLA asserted that the state government had worked to implement Prime Minister Narendra Modi's motto of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas, Sabka Vishwaas and Sabka Prayas'. "On this basis, in 2022, Lotus (BJP's symbol) will bloom at every booth," he added.
Ahead of Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls scheduled for next year, a meeting of state ministers, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs and MLAs is underway at Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's residence in the national capital to chalk out strategies to woo Brahmin voters, said sources.
UP Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma, state ministers Shrikant Sharma, Satish Dwivedi, Brijesh Pathak, Anand Swaroop Shukla, Jitin Prasada and others were present at the meeting. Apart from these, BJP MPs Haridwar Dubey and Rita Bahuguna Joshi also attended the meeting.
BJP had earlier held Brahmin Sammelans amidst the reports of the Brahmin community's resentment with the party. The party has engaged its team of Brahmin leaders to reinforce the confidence of the community. Today's meeting is significant in this regard, sources added.
According to sources, discussions are being held to seek Bharmin community voters' support for the BJP and Pradhan is collecting feedback from the leaders in this regard. The leaders will chalk out the roadmap and strategy to woo the community.
( With inputs from ANI )
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