BJP banks on Tamil fishermen's release to woo Delhi's fishing community for elections

The Delhi BJP is trying to highlight the release of five Tamil fishermen from Sri Lanka to win over the fishermen community in the national capital ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

According to a senior BJP leader, there are more than 50 thousand people in the capital belonging to the fishermen community, though many of them are now engaged in other occupations due to the dying condition of Yamuna.

"With an aim to garner support of every section of the society, the party has decided to make strategy to woo the fishermen of the national capital and will raise issues related to them," he said.

Five fishermen from Tamil Nadu, who were sentenced to death in Sri Lanka for alleged drug trafficking, were released after President Mahinda Rajapaksa pardoned them after the Centre reportedly took up the issue with Sri Lanka.

"The way in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi succeeded in getting the fishermen facing death sentence released from Sri Lanka Government, the fishermen community's respect for BJP has increased," he claimed.

Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay on Friday held a meeting with fishermen and promised that his party would try to create employment for them and alternative employment for their children.

"Due to poor condition of Yamuna, employment opportunity has decreased for the fishermen but your community must have seen that the work for the welfare of the community has been excellent in the states in which BJP is in power," Upadhyay told the fishermen.

Meanwhile, BJP also held a meeting with Rehri Patri shopkeepers from 135 markets of the national capital and sought their support in the elections.