Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya today said the people want a "mazboot" (strong) and not a "majboor" (helpless) government at the Centre.
He also asserted that a grand alliance between the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress will have no impact on the BJP's electoral prospects in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
"The victory of the BJP in Yadav-dominated polling booths in 2014 and 2017 is an indicator that members of the community in Uttar Pradesh are not with 'avsarwaad' (opportunists), but with 'rashtrawaad (nationalists) and 'vikaswaad' (development oriented people)," he told news agency PTI.
Mr Maurya's remark came after the SP said it was keen on cobbling together an alliance with Ms Mayawati's BSP to checkmate the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.
The state sends the highest number of 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha.
Claiming that the BJP had "full support" of the backward communities, Mr Maurya said, "With (prime minister) Narendra Modi at the helm of affairs, backward communities are feeling proud and encouraged."
"I think, this time in 2019, we will get better response from them than we got in 2014 and 2017," he said
"Their (SP-BSP-Congress) alliance, if it at all materialises, will not have any impact on the poll prospects of the BJP as the people of the state know their 'leela' (deeds)," the deputy chief minister said.
The BJP is going to win 73 plus seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh and the party is not concerned about the opposition's strategy, he said in a telephonic interview to news agency PTI.
"The SP and the BSP want 'majboor sarkar' (helpless government), but the country wants a 'majboot' (strong) government. A 'majboor sarkar' can be formed in the leadership of the Congress, but a 'mazboot sarkar' can only be given by Narendra Modi, whom the country trusts," Mr Maurya said.
On SP legislator Shivpal Yadav constituting the Samajwadi Secular Morcha and SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav sharing stage with son Akhilesh Yadav, he said, "Such developments will continue to take place and it will not have any effect on the BJP. We will win with the help of our workers."
"The opposition's main objective is to stop Modi in 2019 as the entire opposition is demoralised and dejected as its efforts are not yielding desired results. There is no alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Mr Maurya said.
On the BJP holding a OBC conference in Lucknow and the opposition's allegation that it was dabbling in caste politics, he said, "Those who rose with casteist politics should not preach the BJP."
Irrespective of caste, it is the priority of the party to connect with everyone and hear their grievances, try to solve them and ensure due honour to them, the BJP leader said.
"We have organised successful conferences due to which the opposition is worried as backward communities are slipping out of their grip," he said.
The BJP has held conferences with members of 20 castes from September 7 to 24 in which representatives from all over the state gathered and vowed full support to the BJP, Mr Maurya claimed.
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