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The only Muslim candidate who made BJP change strategy

Last Updated 14 December 2018, 19:25 IST

Yoonus Khan, the lone Muslim candidate of BJP, accepts that the party has changed its strategy in Rajasthan when it comes to fielding a Muslim.

His name surfaced in the final candidate list released by BJP, that too a few hours before the last day for filing nomination closed. The party replaced its sitting MLA Ajit Singh Mehta and fielded Khan after the Congress gave a ticket to Pilot.

Yoonus, who agrees to the fact that the party changed its strategy of not fielding Muslim candidate in the elections, told DH, "I have never contested from Tonk but I was asked to. If we compare the last few assembly elections, it's quite evident that the party wanted a Muslim face to woo voters here after Congress fielded Pilot. But again it's not about Hindu-Muslim, it's about the strategy." In the last four years, Khan becomes the first Muslim candidate fielded by BJP in assembly elections.

The Tonk constituency has about 2.22 lakh voters, including around 55,000 Muslims and 35,000 belonging to Scheduled Castes, apart from a significant number of Gurjar, Jat and Meena voters, according to estimates by candidates. Rajasthan will go to polls on December 7 and counting will be held on December 11.

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(Published 30 November 2018, 13:34 IST)

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