UP BJP Minority Morcha plans outreach to woo Muslim voters in UP, may invite Rijiju

Lucknow, Jan 15 (PTI) With the upcoming three-tier panchayat elections and the assembly polls in 2027, the ruling BJP Minority Morcha in Uttar Pradesh has begun chalking out a strategy to reach out to Muslim voters.

As part of the plan, the Minority Morcha proposes to organise a series of 'Sneh Milan' programmes in Muslim-dominated areas across all districts of the state. It is also considering inviting Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju to some of these events, party leaders said.

UP BJP Minority Morcha president Kunwar Basit Ali told PTI on Thursday that the party was working on a comprehensive strategy to counter, what he termed, the opposition's "anti-Muslim propaganda" against the BJP ahead of the elections.

He said that 'Sneh Milan' programmes would be organised in every district in the coming months to convey the party's message to the Muslim community that the BJP was its "true well-wisher" and Muslims had received the maximum benefits of government welfare schemes during the BJP rule.

Three-tier panchayat elections are scheduled to be in UP in April–May this year, followed by assembly elections early next year.

Referring to a 'Sneh Milan' programme organised by the BJP Minority Morcha in Lucknow earlier this week, Ali said the opposition had been spreading false propaganda portraying the BJP as anti-Muslim.

Rijiju on Thursday shared an excerpt of his remarks from the Lucknow programme on his X handle, in which he said, "In India, people of all religions and communities are safe. From time to time, you hear claims that Muslims, Sikhs or Christians are being persecuted. This propaganda keeps going on." He further said, "A campaign has been run against the party I belong to. This is completely wrong. We have not done a single act that hurts any religion or faith." The minister also said that while Indonesia currently has the largest Muslim population, he believed that India could become the country with the highest Muslim population once the next census figures are released.

Reacting to the BJP Minority Morcha's outreach plans, the Congress dismissed them as a diversionary tactic. Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai told PTI that BJP leaders were adept at making "absurd statements" to distract public attention.

He said Rijiju's remarks were also a "diversionary gimmick" aimed at shifting focus from issues such as unemployment, price rise and growing discontent among the youth.

Ali said Rijiju's post had been viewed by over two lakh people and was receiving appreciation.

He added that the Minority Morcha was planning to invite Rijiju to some of the 'Sneh Milan' gatherings being organised in different districts as part of preparations for the panchayat and assembly elections.

Claiming that the BJP had proved through its governance that Muslims were being brought into the mainstream and given their due share in development schemes, Ali said it was a "ground reality" that Muslims had benefited the most from government programmes during the BJP rule.

He alleged that the opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress, which claim to be champions of Muslim interests, had misled the community for votes without delivering the rightful share to them, adding that the Sachar Committee report had already highlighted this reality. PTI SLM ABN ABN KSS KSS