Indian Express, December 30, 2008
Now, BJP woos Dalits
by Tarannum Manjul
Lucknow: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to target the Dalit votebank. The party has formed Dalit prakosths or units at the block level, which will organise Dalit sammelans from January to March 2009 to bring the community members within its fold.
For the first time, the party has decided to form Dalit units in UP. Although senior leaders say the party has always worked for the welfare of all sections, sources inform that this is one of the major steps taken by the BJP to regain lost ground in the state after party president Rajnath Singh had launched the movement for Most Backward classes in 2001.
The party has already organised a meeting to select its district and block level office bearers, who have been given the task of enrolling more Dalits in the party, said a leader.
Leader of BJP legislature party in the state, Om Prakash Singh said the party will organise five or six major conventions in the next three months.
“First, we will bring together all our workers and office bearers belonging to the Scheduled Caste communities. Later, after discussing with them, we will formulate strategies to spread awareness about the party’s policies for the Dalits. The conventions will be a major part of the strategy.” Singh said.
Meanwhile, BJP expelled former MLA from Pratapgarh, Shivakant Ojha on Monday for “anti-party activities”.
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