NEW DELHI: As the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections draw closer, Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Uttar Pradesh state in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan met Brahmin ministers in the Yogi Adityanath Government, as well as other leaders, at his residence on Sunday. The meeting which was also attended by UP BJP Organisation secretary Sunil Bansal, is being seen as an indication of BJP’s all-out reach to keep crucial Brahmin votes in its fold.
Deputy Chief Minister Dr Dinesh Sharma, Power Minister Shrikant Sharma, Law Minister Brajesh Pathak, Technical Education minister Jitin Prasada, minister Anand Swaroop Pathak and Lok Sabha members Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Haridwar Dubey attended the meeting. Former Union minister and sitting Rajya Sabha MP Shiv Pratap Shukhla was also present.
“The members deliberated on the steps to be taken to keep the crucial vote bank in its fold. The reason behind engaging top Brahmin leaders of the party is to reinforce the confidence of Brahmins in the policies of the BJP,” said a leader, who didn’t wish to be identified.
Pradhan has been meeting leaders and those connected to the ground to get their feedback on various issues to prepare the party’s poll strategy in India’s politically most significant state. He emphasised the need for a combined outreach with the Brahmin community and that the community should be informed of the various welfare schemes that the Yogi Adityanath government and the Centre have brought out for them, sources told The New Indian.
One of the major welfare measures introduced by the Narendra Modi Government at the Centre has been the declaration of 10 percent reservation for the General Category candidates in the government jobs, protection of Hindu culture, security of the daughters of Brahmins and protection and renovation of temples, sources added.