BJP chief non-committal on projecting CM candidate in UP

BJP president Amit Shah was today non-committal on whether the party will project anybody as Chief Ministerial candidate for the upcoming Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh even as he acknowledged that the elections in the state have a special significance.
At an event here, he said in response to a question that the decision on chief ministerial candidate will be taken by the party.
He acknowledged that UP Assembly elections have their own political importance.
"It is said that route to Delhi passes through Lucknow. It is the biggest and most populated state in the country," the BJP chief said at a conclave 'Badhega Pradesh to Banega Desh' organised by Jagran.

He said that other than political and cultural importance, UP has its own importance in terms of development.
"I want to assure you that the party will take the state on the path of development," he said.

Shah said after the Narendra Modi government came to power at the Centre in 2014, it took three sectors on its list.
"First was villages. Around 18,000 were without elctrification. We have decided to electrify all the villages by May 2018. We started Mudra Yojna, Jan Dhan Yojna," he said.
The BJP president also mentioned the 'PM Fasal Yojana' under which crop will be ensured at a very nominal premium.

Shah said whenever Congress came to power, the growth rate of the country declines.
"When Atalji left the growth rate was 8.4 per cent, during UPA regime it declined to 4.4 per cent. Within two years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's regime, the rate has reached 7.9 per cent," he said.