Bihar polls: BJP supports reservation policy, says Amit Shah

Accuses rivals of 'misleading' people on BJP's stand

Under attack from grand alliance leaders that on the issue that BJP may tweak reservation policy if it comes to power in Bihar, party President Amit Shah today reaffirmed BJP's support for the quota system and charged rivals with "misleading" people on the matter.

"BJP steadfastly supports the reservation policy and does not want any change whatever in the existing quota system," he said at an election meeting here.

Charging RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and the senior JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar with "misleading" the electorate by telling them that the BJP will "tweak" the quota law in the event of being voted to power in Bihar, Shah asked the party workers to explain the saffron party's "consistent stand" in favour of the reservation policy, to the people.

The BJP national president lashed out at the alliance stalwarts for not thanking the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for announcing a special package of Rs 1.25 lakh crore to the poll-bound state, besides committing an additional Rs 40,000 crore for completing of ongoing infrastructure projects in Bihar.

"You should have been gracious enough to thank the Prime Minister for announcing a special package to Bihar to the tune of Rs 1.25 lakh crore and additionally committing Rs 40,000 crore for completing of running infrastructure projects," he said.

Shah also held the two leaders responsible for pendency of all those projects for years.

Claiming that only the BJP-led NDA government can implement development projects under the special package to Bihar, the BJP national president urged the voters to provide three-fourth majority to the saffron party-led alliance at the hustings with 185 seats.

"You should ensure that the BJP gets not less than 120 seats and the NDA should get 185 seats in the Assembly polls," Shah said.

"The battle line is drawn for the Bihar Assembly polls and the rival alliances have entered into the battlefield with its manpower....Now it is for the electorate to exercise their franchise and elect a strong government which can deliver goods to Bihar and take it on the path of development," he said.