UP assembly elections 2012: BJP looks for muslim votes

NEW DELHI: The Muslim vote may be a hard nut to crack for the BJP, but the party is all set to woo the backward sections of the community during the sixth and seventh phases of the Uttar Pradesh elections, which will cover 35% of Muslim population.

The backward Muslims, including Banjara, Mewati, Shia, Mehtar, Jat, Chauhan and Ansari, form a 40% chunk of the community in the state. It is these sections that the BJP is targeting with a "Taleem, Tarakki, Tahfuz (education, development, security)" slogan.

"These sections are ignored by Muslim vote wooing parties. This will be the first time we are reaching out to them.... It will also be a test for the BJP," party leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told ET. The party is planning to hold about ten rallies beginning from Moradabad on February 19. Similar rallies will be held in Agra, Meerut, Bareilly and Sahranpur.

The party has given ticket to just one Muslim out of its 403 candidates in a state with nearly a 20% Muslim population. It has been aggressively campaigning for the OBC votes and opposing the sub-quota for minorities. It has been accusing Congress of playing vote bank politics by raking up reservation for minorities and Batla House encounter issues. The Muslim vote appeared more unreachable for the BJP than ever before.