UP BJP MLA Says Can’t Win Elections by Hurting Upper Castes

BJP legislator in Uttar Pradesh, Surendra Singh, blamed amendments to the SC/ST Act for the party’s poor show.

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(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

As votes were counted in five states on Tuesday, 11 December, a BJP legislator in UP blamed amendments to the SC/ST Act for the party's poor show and said it can't win elections by hurting sentiments of upper castes.

BJP's Bairia legislator Surendra Singh, who is known for making controversial statements, said the amendments proved to be suicidal for the party.

“The BJP cannot register victory in elections by hurting the sentiments of the savarna (upper castes). The decisions to bring amendments in the SC/ST Act has proved to be suicidal.”

Surendra Singh, BJP MLA from Bairia 

According to him, the public has taught a temporary lesson to the BJP. "If the BJP doesn't reconsider its decision and corrects its course on the SC/ST Act, then results will be wrong for the party in 2019 as well," he said.

He claimed the upper castes have been a traditional vote base of the BJP. As per latest trends, the BJP is trailing in all three Hindi-heartland states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh to the Congress.