Ahead of the elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Bharatiya Janata Party is making all attempts to woo Mumbai’s Muslims to enhance its tally in the civic body. Nearly 25,000 Muslim youths are likely to join the BJP next week, claims the party.

According to BJP leaders, these Muslim youths are from areas such as Malvani, Bandra (W) and Bandra (E), Mohammed Ali Road, Madanpura, Kurla, Govandi and other areas who will join the party at a function to be organised next week. The function is likely to be organised in South Mumbai.

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“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said he wanted to see a computer in one hand and Quran in other hand of the Muslim youths, which is why they are attracted to BJP. The community is seeing the work in last two to three years by the BJP government,” said Haider Azam, vice-president of the BJP’s Mumbai unit.

Talking about the 25,000 Muslim youths, he said, “We have approached a couple of NGOs working in the social sector in the city while a few organisations have reached out to us expressing willingness to join the party.”

Azam said Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and senior BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain would attend the function.

“All other parties have used the community for their own benefits and have deserted them later. The BJP is only working towards the inclusive development of the community,” he said.

As many as 47 newly elected Muslim councillors and two Muslim presidents of municipal councils will be felicitated at the function. Azam said, “We are planning to organise the programme on December 28 or 29. We are meeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tomorrow (Wednesday) to seek his time and will finalise the date after that,” said Azam.

The BJP had recently organised a ‘baati chokha’ event to woo north Indian voters. Fadnavis and several other leaders from north India were present at the event organised in Goregaon.

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