This story is from April 18, 2015

PMJDY helps BJP connect with Dalits

The popular Prime Minister Jan-Dhan Yojna (PMJDY) has left an impact among Dalits of Kashi Kshetra.
PMJDY helps BJP connect with Dalits
ALLAHABAD: The popular Prime Minister Jan-Dhan Yojna (PMJDY) has left an impact among Dalits of Kashi Kshetra.
In the first four days of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) membership drive in 14 districts of Kashi Keshtra, over 20,000 Dalits have taken to party membership while praising the scheme, claims local party leadership.
Talking to TOI, party vice-president and spokesman of Kashi Kshetra, Rakesh Trivedi said, "The Jan Dhan Yojna of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has helped BJP to connect with Dalits during its membership campaign.
Around 7,000 out of 20,000 newly inducted members have opened their accounts under yojna and praised the PM for offering hope to the poor and weaker sections of the society."
He added that over five lakh accounts were opened in different banks under Jan Dhan Yojna in Kashi Kshetra that comprises of 14 districts: Varanasi, Allahabad, Sultanpur, Amethi, Jaunpur, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, Bhadohi, Ghazipur, Kaushambi, Chandauli and Pratapgarh. Allahabad and Varanasi have been divided into Mahanagar and District units. Incidentally, over 8.5 crore accounts have already been opened in the country under PMJDY.
BJP leadership of Kashi Kshetra is elated over the response after successful induction of over 20,000 Dalits as its members the four-day campaign that started on Ambedkar jayanti on April 14. Apart from Modi's constituency varanasi, BJP leaders claimed to have gained support in BSP dominated assembly seats especially in districts like Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Sonbhadra, Chandauli and Mirzapur, claimed Trivedi.
"Gujarat based corporates and NGOs carrying out welfare work for boatmen and rickshaw pullers - in term of free repair of boats and rickshaws - has also helped BJP to come closer to them and many of them have taken party membership. Our membership drive launched in 14 districts of Kashi Kshetra targets slums to induct more and more Dalits as its members," he added.

The volunteers of BJP and its frontal organizations are leaving no stone unturned to induct Dalits into party fold, and for that they have been taking round of slums housing majority of migrant labourers and low income group people.
BJP workers admitted that "people living in slums are well acquainted with Jan Dhan Yojna and majority of them have bank accounts under the scheme in all the 14 districts". "We are getting favourable response from slums and more and more Dalits and daily-wage earners have been joining the party as members", they claimed.
Local BJP leaders said that the decision to induct Dalits in large number in party fold will surely prove significant in state assembly elections scheduled for 2017. Once the campaign gets over, the BJP would reveal the statistics.
"Kashi Kshetra would this time top in inducting members. Party workers are intensifying the drive and would ensure maximum membership from slum areas," said another BJP leader. He said people from all sections of the society, especially women, are joining the party.
BJP leadership claimed it would easily crossing the one lakh membership mark in the region between April 14 and 20. The main stress is on 17 out of 72 assembly seats in the state where Dalits could be termed as decisive factor in polls. Besides, the campaign has also been effective in 22 other assembly segments where Dalit votes could bring surprise results, the party leadership thinks.
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About the Author
Kapil Dixit

Kapil Dixit is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Mass Communications. He has covered crime at regional as well as state level. His hobbies include reading, writing and meeting people with diverse interests.

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