Amit Shah bats for Mayawati, says BSP is still relevant in UP
Muslim votes likely to go to BSP, says BJP leader; feels people of all religions should accept a school’s dress code
While Mayawati has been more or less conspicuous by her absence in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election scene this year, BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has a different view. Her party BSP will get a significant number of votes in Uttar Pradesh, he said.
The Jatav vote, a BSP stronghold, would remain with the party, Shah told TV channel News18 in an interview. Also, Muslims in the State are likely to vote for Mayawati’s party, he said. While the flow of Muslim votes to the BSP may or may not be good news for the BJP, the fact that the party still has a sizeable presence in UP is indisputable, he said.
It may be noted that Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) has been banking on Muslim votes to gain an edge over the BJP.
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Mayawati has been keeping a rather low profile of late, for which people have come up with various guesses. While Shah did not comment on the low profile, he said her support base remained intact. There have been rumours and media reports about a possible post-poll alliance between the BJP and the BSP.
Comment on hijab row
Marking one of the first comments on the Karnataka hijab row by a Central minister, Shah said people of all religions should accept the dress code of an educational institution. That is his personal belief, and it is up to the court to take a call on it, he added.
Asked about the implementation of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Home Minister said it would certainly be done. Any delay would only be due to the pandemic, he added.
