Sushma Swaraj promised that if elected her party would launch a separate fisheries ministry. (File photo)
As political parties scramble to woo different social groups, the BJP's Sushma Swaraj reached Tamil Nadu today to explain to fishermen there why she believes Narendra Modi is their best bet for prime minister.
"Narendra Modi has brought a fisherman to the Rajya Sabha,'' Ms Swaraj pointed out, while leading a protest meeting of fishermen at Pamban near Rameshwaram.
She was referring to Chunibhai Gohil, a member of the fishermen community nominated to the Upper House from Gujarat by the BJP last week.
Ms Swaraj also promised that if elected her party would launch a separate fisheries ministry and promised that it would build townships with good schools and hospitals around fishing settlements.
The BJP is seen as attempting to get a toe-hold through the fishing community in Tamil Nadu, where politics is dominated by regional powerhouses like the AIADMK and DMK.
Around 600 fishermen from Tamil Nadu have been killed in the last three decades by the Lankan Navy, which alleges that they trespassed into their waters. In Tamil Nadu, which has a coastline of 1,076 kms, the community's problems are an emotive issue.
Gujarat has the largest coastline in India and Mr Modi's nomination of Mr Gohil to the Rajya Sabha is as his attempt to consolidate his hold among the members of the fishing community in his state.
The community, known as "mallahs'' or "Nishads" or "Kevats," also comprises about 4 per cent of the electorate in Bihar and 2.5 per cent in Uttar Pradesh and is part of the extremely backward castes (EBCs), an amorphous cluster of castes.