BJP chief steers clear of controversies ahead of UP polls

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah on Friday steered clear of controversial issues such as Ram temple and uniform civil code as he indicated that the party would fight the UP Assembly polls on development plank.

With RSS affiliates –Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal –raising the pitch for Ram temple construction, Shah said such outfits cannot be equated with the BJP.  He also wondered on what basis the Opposition was accusing the BJP of causing communal polarisation ahead of the state polls. 

Shah added the party would soon sketch a strategy for the Assembly polls in UP and Punjab, scheduled for the next year. He said, “Like Assam and other states, we will also win in Uttar Pradesh. We have already organised nine Vikas Parv programme in the state.”

“In Punjab, we are in alliance with the Akali Dal, where they have the maximum number of seats. They are playing a key role at the ground level and we have also be given a major responsibility for the upcoming elections.”

The BJP chief said the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had taken several pro-farmer and pro-Sikh initiatives.  Of the 117 Assembly seats in Punjab, the BJP usually contests 23, leaving the rest to SAD. Shah said this seat-sharing formulae was likely to continue in the upcoming polls. 

Asked about speculation over alliance between the BJP and small parties like in Kerala and Assam, Shah said: “We will decide on it later.”