Himanta says BJP doesn’t need Miyan votes to win elections in Assam

GUWAHATI: Assam finance and health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today all but admitted that there will be polarization politics on both sides in the Assam assembly elections in March-April stating categorically that the BJP does not need Miyan votes to win elections.

Replying to a question from InsideNE on the sidelines of teachers’ appointment letter distribution ceremony here, the senior minister said: “This is not about polarization. The Miyan Muslims never voted for us. They didn't vote for us in panchayat polls or in 2014. As I have already stated in the state Assembly, we don’t need votes from Miyan Muslims till talaq and hostility prevail in their society. And we will not win in Miyan areas because we won’t allow their agenda of Miyan museum or Miyan poetry in Assam.”

 “The word Miyan is not coined by me. It’s coined by those whom they elect as representatives. Congress-AIUDF (All India United Democratic Front) alliance will win from those Miyan pockets,” he added.

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The minister was apparently referring to the minority Bengali speaking Muslim community in the state.

Asked if the BJP-Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) alliance will give away those seats, the North East Democratic Alliance convenor said: “We will field candidates there knowing very well that they will lose so that our supports in those localities are not compelled to vote for Congress or AIUDF against their will. We’ll give them the opportunity to cast their votes on favourite symbols of lotus (BJP) or elephant (AGP).”

The senior BJP leader’s statement came shortly after AIUDF supremo Badruddin Ajmal recently tried to polarize Muslim voters stating that the BJP was responsible for the demolition of the Babri Masjid and if the party continues to be power, it will demolish 3500 mosques across the country only to draw severe criticism from all quarters.

Sarma too have been vocal against the minorities in most of his election meetings across the state over the past couple of months. He, however, kept himself ethically secure stating that the Congress and AIUDF had started the trend in the Bodoland Territorial Council elections late last year.

Sarma’s statement was kind of a snub on BJP’s ally AGP president Atul Bora’s oft repeated claim that the AGP is the only secular party in the state. Bora has used almost every platform to woo Muslim voters playing the secular card.