Ahead of the Assam Assembly polls later this year, state minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the BJP would not get any seats in areas dominated by Miya Muslims as they do not vote for the party.
"Miya Muslims" did not vote for BJP in Panchayat and 2014 Lok Sabha polls, said Mr Sarma, citing his past experience.
"Miya Muslims don't vote for us (BJP), I am saying this on the basis of experience. They didn't vote for us in Panchayat and 2014 Lok Sabha polls. BJP will not get votes in the seats that are in their (Miya Muslims) hands, while other seats are ours," Mr Sarma told reporters on Saturday.
Gearing up for the Assembly elections, he added, "We will field our candidates in those (Miya Muslims) seats so that people who do not identify themselves with "Miya Muslims" get an option to vote for lotus (BJP's symbol) or elephant (Asom Gana Parishad's symbol)."
The Assembly polls are likely to be held in April-May for 126 Assembly seats.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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