GUWAHATI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is going to field as many as 15 minority community candidates in the Assam Elections 2021, the highest ever in the party's history in Assam.
Handing over BJP tickets to five minority community candidates for the state elections here today, vice president and Minority Morcha in-charge of Assam state BJP Swapnanil Baruah said: "For BJP, the minority does not necessarily mean Muslims alone. We include Sikh, Christian, Jain communities as well."
"We have already given tickets to 10 candidates from the minorities earlier. With our ally AGP (Asom gana Parishad), we will pitch the highest number of minority candidates this time," Baruah further said.
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The five candidates to be awarded tickets today include Haseenara Khatun from Baghbar constituency, Asaddul Islam from South Salmara, Abukakkar Siddiqui from West Bilasipara, Osman Gony from Jaleswar, and Soidul Islam from Jonia. They received tickets in the presence of Minority Morcha president Muktar Hussain Khan.
"Minorities have suffered a lot during the past 70 years of Congress regime. They had to spend life under violent and under-developed circumstances. But, BJP brought their smile back in just five years," said Khan.
After receiving the ticket, Baghbar candidate Khatun said: "Earlier our party lost all hopes of winning from these areas. But now with our inclusion, the party is confident that we can also win from these areas as well."
Earlier at a meeting, BJP minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that they are not going to win from Miyan belts, as they do not entertain their agenda. But now the party is changing its tune as the poll days are getting closer each day.