Sensing mid-term polls, BJP woos Muslims

AURANGABAD: Anticipating mid-term polls for the Lok Sabha, BJP seems to be going all out to woo Muslim voters, with party state president Nitin Gadkari asking people of the community to "open their eyes" and "see what was being done in the name of secularism".

"We are not here to seek your votes. We know that you may not agree with us on certain issues and we may not agree with you on others, but I can only ask you to open your eyes and see what is being done in the name of secularism. The Congress had never wanted the good of Muslims because they want to use them for votes", Gadkari said here at a meeting called by the Maharashtra Aukaf Parishad.

Gadkari, who talked extensively on the issue of questionable land dealings by the state Wakf board, also issued a subtle message to Muslims, saying, "Don't trust us, but at least do not ignore the evidence that is lying in front of you."

The meeting itself, however, turned out to be a damp squib, with BJP sources first saying Gadkari would speak in the Jama Masjid premises, while the meeting was held at a auditorium near the mosque.

"We had never asked him to speak in the masjid. There must have been some misunderstanding. Nor has the masjid management anything to do with today's event, has appeared in the media. This programme was only organised by the Maharashtra Aukaf Parishad," MAP president Assar Farooqui said after the event.