Pasmanda Muslims & BC bloc pivotal to BJP

BJP Rajya Sabha member, OBC Morcha chief national parliamentary board member, K Laxman, said BJP is the only party that works for uplift of backward classes and the Centre is even considering raising the income limit criteria to enable total quota for this section. In an exclusive interview with TOL, he said BJP is trying to wean away Pasmanda Muslims to its fold with welfare schemes.

- Sribala.Vadlapatla timesgroup.com

What is BJP’s strategy to capitalize on BC vote-bank?

Unlike Congress-led governments, we offer political space and support total reservation for other backward classes (OBC). More than 20 OBC members are part of the Union cabinet, and another 20 OBC ministers serve in India’s largest state, Uttar Pradesh.

In Telangana, we intend to make OBC our key voting bloc. West Bengal’s Trinamool Congress government has hiked the OBC Muslim quota at the expense of Hindu OBCs in a tactical move to include upper-caste Muslims in the quota gambit. Some Muslim OBCs who work in specific professions already benefit from 27% reservation. However, we have a clear directive from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reach out to Pasmanda (backward and Dalit) Muslims and explain to them on benefits provided by BJP government. Danish Azad Ansari Ali, a Pasmanda Muslim, has been appointed cabinet minister in Uttar Pradesh.

What is BJP’s strategy to cement OBC vote-bank?