NCP now attacks BJP for Hemant Soren arrest, 'anti-minority' campaign

Mumbai: Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Monday said that the arrest of former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren by Enforcement Directorate played a part in the Maharashtra Lok Sabha polls, with the tribal community voting against BJP-led alliance in the state.

The NCP leader also took on BJP for its campaign against minorities, saying that "every vote is important".

"The Constitution change campaign led to fears among Dalits and Adivasi communities that their reservations would go. Our Adivasi friends said that they were also upset that their leader in Jharkhand was arrested," said Bhujbal while speaking at the NCP's foundation day celebrations in Mumbai.

Bhujbal added while the issue of Constitution change will not be an issue in the assembly polls, just a few months away, the BJP-led alliance needs to get back Muslims, Dalits who have turned away from them.

Bhujbal indicated that BJP's attempt at Hindu-Muslim polarisation during elections should not be repeated again. "We have to earn the trust of Dalits, Muslims and Adivasis. How will we win the elections by losing these votes? This benefits the Opposition. We have to take all castes and all religions together. We should also give Dalits and Muslims tickets to contest the polls, that is how trust is built," he said.

Another leader Baba Siddique said Nitish Kumar's JDU as well as BJP got success in Bihar as they got the backward community and Muslim votes. Supporting the party leaders, Ajit Pawar said the points raised by Bhujbal and other leaders like Siddique would be acted upon.