Quota demand: Issue needs to be taken seriously, says Kalraj Mishra

Amidst demands for reservation in the country, the NDA government has said these have to be taken "seriously" while striving for a solution to the issue through debate.

"Demand for reservation is rising in many states and agitations are being held for the same. This should be taken seriously and a debate should be held on the issue to reach a solution," senior BJP leader and Union minister, Kalraj Mishra, told PTI.

Clarifying the party's stand on reservation, he said that BJP believes it was "important" for the development of certain groups.

"BJP firmly supports the constitutional reservation for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, other backward classes and extremely backward classes. We believe that reservation is important for the social, education and economic development of these groups."

On RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's statement regarding the reservation policy that has sparked a row in political circles, Mishra said it was blown out of proportion by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who he claimed had "misinterpreted" it.

"Bhagwat's statement was in reference to Patel reservation demand in Gujarat and it was misinterpreted by Nitish and blown out of proportion for political gains. They are trying to mislead people on the issue for mileage in polls." said the micro, small and medium enterprises minister.

Asked about his expectations vis-a-vis the NDA alliance in the upcoming Bihar polls, Mishra said they would get an absolute majority and claimed that even the opposition grand alliance had realised that.

"Due to the rising popularity of NDA in Bihar, grand alliance constituents are demoralised. They are resorting to gimmicks to win over the people, but it will not work. We will get absolute majority and form the government," he said.

About reports of resentment among some party cadre and allies in Bihar over the distribution of tickets for the elections, Mishra said while there can be some resentment initially, that was "natural" in such a process.

"We are contesting elections unitedly and will win the maximum number of seats," he said.

Meanwhile, taking a dig at Congress, he said "even the grand alliance partners Kumar (JD-U) and Lalu Prasad (RJD) will not let Congress win any of the 243 seats in Bihar".

"Congress is struggling for its survival in Bihar and will hardly get any seat there. Realising the state of affairs, Rahul Gandhi has fled away on a foreign tour, skipping the crucial elections," Mishra said.