It would have been better if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gave tickets to Muslims for the ongoing Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Monday.
He, however, said the BJP believed in taking along all the sections of the society and the community would be adequately compensated after the party forms government in the State.
Ala Rajnath, Uma Bharti
Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Uma Bharti had reportedly made similar comments earlier.
“As far as tickets are concerned, it would have been better [if tickets were given to Muslims]. We will address their concern by compensating them when we form government in the State,” Mr. Naqvi said, without elaborating in what ways the party will deal with the issue.
The Minister said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government’s performance should not be assessed in the light of the BJP not offering tickets to Muslims.
We will take all sections along
“The BJP believes in taking along all the sections of the society. We formed government at the Centre with cooperation of all. Similarly, we will form government in the State...,” he said.
Home Minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh had on Thursday reportedly said that Muslims should have been given tickets.
Water Resources Minister Bharti had echoed his views later.
Zilch Muslim candidates
The BJP has not fielded even a single Muslim candidate in the State, which has sizeable Muslim population and is considered crucial in the country’s electoral politics.
The fifth round of polling is under way for 51 assembly constituencies spread across 11 districts of the State.
