BJP woos 'Poorvanchalis' in Delhi

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday promised a series of sops to Poorvanchalis, as migrants from eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are called, ahead of the Delhi assembly elections.

"The BJP will restore the dignity and pride of Poorvanchalis living in the city," the party's Delhi president Vijay Goel told the media.

"The Congress government has created a sense of alienation among them and hurt their pride."

Goel promised that unauthorised colonies, which he said were "home to more than 40 lakh Poorvanchalis", would be legalized.

"Lack of affordable housing for them has pushed a large section of Poorvanchalis to JJ (jhuggi-jhompri) clusters, slums and unauthorised colonies," he said.

 

He also promised that Chhath, a festival celebrated with great fervour in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and parts of Nepal, would be declared a gazetted holiday in Delhi.