From Sufi Samvad to Sneh Milan, how BJP is reaching out to Muslims ahead of 2024

The BJP hopes that it would be able to better its tally and come back with a larger mandate than it did in 2019 and 2024.

The BJP's Minority Morcha has started a Muslim outreach programme titled 'Sufi Samvad Maha Abhigyan,' with an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Reports said that in order to make the campaign successful, the BJP has put together a team of 150 non-political people to ensure that this mega outreach programme reaches the length and breath of the country. These people will be split into separate teams and will spread across the country as part of the minority outreach programme.

The programme will go on for a year, during which the teams will visit Muslim-dominated Lok Sabha constituencies. The teams will make the minorities aware of the work done b them by the Narendra Modi-led BJP government.

According to president of the BJP's Minority Morcha, Jamal Siddiqui, 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed them to reach out to the Sufi community with the agenda of 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas, Sabka Prayaas.' The idea is to be among the Muslim community and tell them that the government, under the leader of PM Modi works for all, irrespective of caste, creed or community. We will also dispel all false notions.'

The outreach programme will be organised in the Lok Sabha seats, where the Muslims account for more than 20 per cent of the population. Many events such as seminars, dialogues and door-to-door campaigns are planned. Dedicated outreach programmes will be conducted in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, West Bengal and Bihar. In UP, these events will be organised in the constituencies of Meerut, Saharanpur, Azamgarh and Rampur. In Bihar, the events would be held in the Katiar, Kishanganj and Araria constituencies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has very often exhorted party leaders and workers to reach out to the Muslim community. At the BJP's National Executive, the PM advised BJP workers to build relations with people from all sections of society, especially the Bohra and Pasmanda Muslims, Sikhs and Christians, without worry about votes.

The BJP believes that with the support of the Muslims, it can win a bigger mandate that it did in 2014 and 2019.

The main talking point about this programme is to showcase how the welfare programmes undertaken by the BJP-led central government have been uniformly implemented without any discrimination.

Another programme that the BJP's Minority Morcha is launching is in Hyderabad called the 'sneh Milan.' This is a goodwill meeting with Muslim community members with the slogan 'one nation, one DNA. It would begin at the end of March.