A state-level convention of BJP leaders from OBC communities will be held in Bengaluru on November 21, Karnataka Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa said Wednesday.
The move is seen as the party's attempts to consolidate support from the communities ahead of the upcoming zilla panchayat and Assembly elections.
Speaking at a party leaders' meeting organised by the BJP OBC Morcha that Eshwarappa heads, he said that minorities, Dalits and OBC communities had previously backed the Congress. "However, the party was only interested in caste and community politics. Now, more than 70% of voters from Dalit and backward classes prefer BJP. Even nationalist Muslims are with the BJP," he said.
The BJP has been trying to make inroads into the Ahinda (minorities, backward classes and Dalits), the bulwark of Congress leader Siddaramaiah's poll plank.
Eshwarappa, who belongs to the backward Kuruba community like Siddaramaiah, said that people are voting for the BJP because "we are believers and they are confident that we can protect the country and religion."
Eshwarappa said that he never used to participate in caste conventions in the past as he was a Hindutva ideologue. "However, due to caste organisations, the Hindu community is gaining strength. Moreover, strengthening small caste groups is also our responsibility," he said.
On the OBC convention that will be held next month, Eshwarappa said that backward classes leaders from all constituencies will take part. Former MLAs, MLCs and ministers will participate, he added.
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