BJP's outreach to 'Pasmanda Muslims' in UP ahead of LS polls

Apparently buoyed by its victory in the Muslim dominated Rampur assembly constituency in the recent by-poll, the BJP is now eyeing the Muslim votes, especially those of the 'Pasmanda Muslims' (backward, dalit Muslims) votes in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the next Lok Sabha polls, scheduled to be held in 2024.

BJP will be launching a 'Pasmanda Sneh (affection) Yatra' in the Muslim dominated regions in the state from Thursday. The 'Yatra' would be flagged off by BJP national president J P Nadda.

Also Read: Who are Pasmanda Muslims and why is the BJP wooing them?

BJP leaders said that the main objectives of the Yatra were to counter the opposition's 'propaganda' on the UCC (Uniform Civil Code) and also to apprise the community about the various welfare measures initiated by the central and the state governments for the benefit of the minority community.

State BJP leaders said that the 'Yatra', which would start from Ghaziabad, would pass through the constituencies where the Muslims were in sizable numbers.

The districts from where the Yatra would traverse included Saharanpur, Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahar, Bijnore, Moradabad, Bareilly, Shahjahanpur, Rampur, Lucknow, Barabanki, Baharaich, Gonda, Amethi, Sultanpur, Prayagraj, Azamgarh, Deoria and Gorakhpur.

The first phase of the Yatra would end on August 10. Party leaders said that the second phase of the Ytara would cover the Muslim dominated areas in Bihar.

The saffron party had fielded a 'considerable' number of Muslims in the recently held local body polls in Uttar Pradesh from the areas where the community had a sizable strength.

Although the BJP had won 65 of the 80 seats with its allies in the 2019 LS polls in UP, it had lost in several Muslim strongholds of Moradabad, Rampur, Bijnore, Sambhal and Saharanpur.

The Samajwadi Party leaders, however, said that the saffron party's outreach to Muslims was nothing but an eyewash and a desperate bid to show that it cared for the community.