By Shashi Bhushan
New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS): In an attempt to win support of minorities especially Muslims in next year's Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, the BJP is launching a campaign 'ek booth, 100 votes' (one booth, 100 votes) from next month. The campaign will be carried out in minority dominated constituencies and booths across the state.
BJP Minority Morcha national president Jamal Siddiqui told IANS that the campaign 'ek booth, 100 votes' will be launched in September and it will run till the assembly polls next year.
"During the campaign, workers of the BJP's minority morcha will work to ensure minimum 100 votes for party candidate in minority dominated booths by reaching out to the community specially Muslims," Siddiqui said.
Through the effort the saffron party is trying to secure a minimum of 5,000 Muslims or minority votes in each assembly constituency. "Target is to get minimum five thousand new Muslim votes in each assembly seats and more votes from other minority communities," he said.
The BJP Minority Morcha workers will reach out to members of the minority community and try to dispel misconceptions about the BJP and the Narendra Modi government created by the opposition parties.
"Our workers will explain the welfare initiatives of the Modi government which benefited everyone including Muslims and other minority communities. The Modi government has not discriminated against anyone in the name of religion in the last seven years and only opposition parties created a false narrative against us," Siddiqui said.
In order to achieve the target, the saffron party minority morcha already started appointing 'panna pramukh' (in-charge for one page of voter list) at the Muslim dominated booths and constituencies.
"Process for appointment of panna pramukh has started and it will be completed soon. Panna pramukhs will work minutely on the ground to ensure minimum 100 votes in their booth," he said.
Muslims constitute little less than 20 per cent of Uttar Pradesh's total population and other minorities are around one per cent. Muslims play a decisive role in many assembly seats in the state.