Cong leader, former Waqf board chairman joins BJP
HARIDWAR: Congress leader and former Waqf Board chairman Rao Kale Khan joined the BJP in the presence of cabinet minister Swami Yatishwaranand in Haridwar on Friday evening.
Welcoming Khan into the BJP at the district party office, minister for rural development Swami Yatishwaranand said, “The BJP takes care of the interests of all religions, castes and sects, while other political parties only treat minorities and dalits as only their vote bank.”
Hailing from minority-dominated Piran Kaliyar constituency, Khan said, “All sections of society are happy with the double-engine governance of PM Narendra Modi and CM Pushkar Singh Dhami. I will ensure penetration of the BJP in rural segments. BJP leaders have put faith in my capability and I will work as a dedicated worker.”
Apart from Piran Kaliyar constituency, Roorkee, Bhagwanpur and Manglaur are minority-dominated areas in Haridwar district. Piran Kaliyar seat is now represented by Congress legislator Furqan Ahmed. The BJP may field Rao Kale Khan against Ahmed, according to some party leaders.
BJP sources say induction of minority leaders is a strategy of the party to attain its goal of crossing the mark of 60 seats in the 70-seat assembly in next year’s elections.
More than 10 Muslim leaders and workers associated with the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal were inducted into the BJP last week by Yatishwaranand.
Congress vice president Dhirendra Pratap said, “The exit of Rao Kale Khan won’t have a major impact on the Congress as he has no mass base. Khan will soon know the real face, ideology and working of the BJP, which resorts to communal politics to gain electoral mileage.”
The BJP takes care of the interests of all religions, castes and sects, while other political parties only treat minorities and dalits as only their vote bank SWAMI YATISHWARANAND, Minister for rural development