BJP can't afford to ignore dalit claims in Karnataka

New Delhi, May 17 (UNI) Senior politician and BJP MP Ramesh C Jigajinagi today said the Uttar Pradesh results had upset the calculations of political parties by delivering a decisive mandate and the BJP leadership in Karnataka should be watchful of developments in the country's most sensitive state.

Reacting to the UP results, Mr Jigajinagi, also a former Karnataka minister said the political parties should view and accept the people's verdict as a mid-term introspection as poverty transcends castes as there are poor among the forward castes also.

Terming that the results were indicative of a 'crucial test' for the dalit policies of national parties, Mr Jigajinagi said the poor distraught voters of Brahmin community of UP had joined hands with his dalit counterparts.

Mr Jigajinagi said the UP results should serve as an alarm for 'stone hearted' insensitive policies of the poltical parties. The BJP cannot disregard the claims of Scheduled Castes people when it has to dispense power, he said without referring to the transfer of power to the BJP from ruling Janata Dal (Secular) under an agreement between the two coalition partners.

The BJP has to take over the Chief Ministership from the J D (S) for the last lap of 20 months of the current term of the assembly.

UNI