Uttar Pradesh: BJP discusses minority outreach, candidates for urban local body polls

The urban local body pollsin the state have been delayed due to objections filed in the high court over the OBC reservation

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday mulled over candidates for urban local body polls when the party is expected to field several Muslim candidates from ‘Pasmanda’ (backward) community.

BJP meeting under way in Lucknow on Monday. (Sourced)

The urban local body polls, which the BJP has mostly dominated, have been delayed due to objections filed in the high court over the OBC reservation. The Allahabad high court’s Lucknow bench, which has been hearing the case for the last few days, will again hear the case on Tuesday, possibly the last hearing ahead of the court’s winter break.

“Depending on what the court decides, we are ready with the candidates and will declare the names as soon as the court decides on the issue,” UP BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary said after the party meeting.

Some BJP leaders said the party would focus on putting its new organisational team in place if the polls were to be delayed due to the ongoing OBC reservation issue. “Like everyone else, we too are eagerly waiting for the court’s decision and based on what the court tells on Tuesday, we will formulate our next strategy,” Chaudhary said.

According to BJP leaders, the party leaders at the meeting in which state BJP general secretary (organisation), Dharampal Singh, too was present, the functionaries mulled over Muslim candidates who could be fielded in large numbers in such wards, nagar palika parishads and nagar panchayats, with sizeable Muslim presence.

Since June, the BJP has won three by-polls with sizeable Muslim presence and encouraged by the result, the party has stepped up its plans to connect with ‘backward’ or poorest of the poor Muslims who are also referred to as ‘Pasmandas’.

The party has lined up several ‘Pasmanda’ Muslim meets in the run-up to these polls. Two have been held in Moradabad and Saharanpur and more are likely and BJP leaders admitted that these urban polls will see party continuing to experiment with its minority outreach plan.

“It’s a plan that has rattled the political opponents. The poor Muslims have been the beneficiaries of several BJP schemes and they are now coming to these Pasmanda meets in impressive numbers. Naturally, this community treated as their vote bank by nearly all non-BJP parties is now realising that it is with BJP that they truly stand to develop and that is why they will surely get representation in urban polls,” said Javed Malik, the party’s west UP minority wing in-charge. At the meeting. the party is also learnt to have discussed candidates for 6 MLC (nominated) seats.