Amit Shah to have meal with Dalit family in run-up to UP elections

As part of its plan to woo the Dalits ahead of the UP assembly election in 2017, BJP president president Amit Shah will on Tuesday have meal with a Dalit family in one of the village in Sevapuri Assembly segment under Prime Minister Narendra Modi Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency.

On his way to Allahabad from the Varanasi Airport on Tuesday to address a rally, Shah will make a small halt at Jogiyapur village in Sevapuri Assembly segment to share a meal with a Dalit family, said BJP’s Eastern UP Media-Incharge Sanjay Bhardwaj.

Shah is expected to share the afternoon meal in the village with Girjaprasad Bind and Ikbal Bind's family, who belong to the Dalit community, Bhardwaj said.

Shah’s rally comes four days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose Saharanpur in western Uttar Pradesh to mark two years in office, virtually launching the BJP’s campaign in the massively important state.

Several senior party leaders have been in Allahabad, where the BJP’s executive will meet on June 12 and 13, reviewing the preparations for the rally.
The BJP clearly wants to dispel the notion that it is a party which provides little space to Dalits, who constitute 17% of the population in UP.

Earlier this month, the BJP chief took a holy dip with Dalit sadhus in Kshipra river at Kumbh in Ujjain.