Sify
 
New Delhi, Mar 28: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also appeases communities, but not like other parties like the Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress that "overdo" it, Kalraj Mishra, senior leader and former president of BJP's Uttar Pradesh unit, told Sify in an exclusive interview.

Mishra, a Member of Parliament, said this a day after the BJP kick-started poll-campaign in Uttar Pradesh, criticizing its rival parties SP, BSP and Congress for indulging in "caste-based politics" and "Muslim appeasement".

"Yes, we too appease communities, but we try to give representation to people of all religions and castes. Appeasement becomes wrong when you try to please the people of a community or caste more than needed which we do not indulge in," said Mishra, who along with his colleague Vinay Katiyar coordinated poll preparations between the Central and State leadership.

The BJP has reportedly given 165 tickets to the forward castes, including 63 Brahmins and 66 Thakurs.

The BJP leader added that his party believed in "justice for all and discrimination of none". "We want development for all people," he said.

When asked if the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS or ideological mentor of the BJP) will help the party in the election, Mishra said, "The RSS will surely help us. After all, we are closest to the organisation."

It was earlier reported that the RSS had appointed five pracharaks to lead the campaigns in various regions besides assigning a senior leader for poll-related matters.

Mishra said he was confident that the BJP would win the election and form the government on its own. "We have formed government in Uttar Pradesh several times earlier and we can do it again this time."

He claimed that the people in Uttar Pradesh were "pained" with the "growing corruption" and "misgovernance" and they wanted a change. "Besides, there is no other party than can provide leadership like the BJP," he added.

The BJP ruled Uttar Pradesh from June 1991 to December 1992 and then from September 1997 to March 2002.

Mishra said the recent Assembly elections in Uttarakhand and Punjab have also helped his party. "Our victory in these states has infused people's trust in the party," he said.

He said if the BJP came into power, it would provide clean and good governance, remove corruption and ensure internal security.

When asked what Hindutva issues would the BJP implement if it came into power, Mishra refused to comment.

Uttar Pradesh will go to seven-phase Assembly election between April 7 and May 8, 2007. The counting of votes will be held on May 11, 2007.