<p>In the run-up to Assembly polls when the BJP is trying to reach out to all communities, BJP leader P Muralidhar Rao got the party into an unsavoury row with his remarks that Brahmin and Baniya communities are "in his pockets".</p>.<p>Congress latched on to the remarks portraying it as an "insult" to the communities at a time when the BJP is making a serious bid to placate Brahmins in Uttar Pradesh through measures including the induction of former Congress leader Jitin Prasada, a Brahmin in the state cabinet.</p>.<p>With great efforts, the BJP managed to win back the support of 'Baniyas' who had drifted away from it miffed by the implementation of GST and the initial dip in cash transactions due to demonetisation in November 2016.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/brahmins-baniyas-are-in-my-pockets-says-bjp-leader-cong-seeks-apology-1048715.html" target="_blank">Brahmins, Baniyas are in my pockets, says BJP leader; Cong seeks apology</a></strong></p>.<p>Realising the damage his remarks could do to the traditional 'Brahmin Baniya' vote base, Rao was quick to issue a clarification about what he really meant and hit out at the Congress for "distorting" what he said.</p>.<p>On Monday, Rao had remarked in the course of a media interaction that "Brahmins and Baniyas are in my pockets..." while pitching how his party government is going to have a special focus on scheduled tribes and scheduled castes.</p>.<p> “When the number of people belonging to certain sections was higher, people used to say the party belongs to them. We are working to add more people from the SC/ST sections in our party after finding their lower representation. We are reaching out to all and making the BJP a party for every section,” he had said.</p>.<p>As a short video of Rao's remarks went viral, former Chief Minister Kamal Nath hit out at Rao and asked what kind of respect is given to these classes whose leaders have played an important role in building the BJP, demanding an apology.</p>.<p>Rao later clarified, “We don't discriminate among sections of the society. All Indians should be part of development. The Congress betrayed and divided all sections of the society. If STs are backward, the only reason is that the Congress has done injustice to them."</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos</strong></p>
<p>In the run-up to Assembly polls when the BJP is trying to reach out to all communities, BJP leader P Muralidhar Rao got the party into an unsavoury row with his remarks that Brahmin and Baniya communities are "in his pockets".</p>.<p>Congress latched on to the remarks portraying it as an "insult" to the communities at a time when the BJP is making a serious bid to placate Brahmins in Uttar Pradesh through measures including the induction of former Congress leader Jitin Prasada, a Brahmin in the state cabinet.</p>.<p>With great efforts, the BJP managed to win back the support of 'Baniyas' who had drifted away from it miffed by the implementation of GST and the initial dip in cash transactions due to demonetisation in November 2016.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/brahmins-baniyas-are-in-my-pockets-says-bjp-leader-cong-seeks-apology-1048715.html" target="_blank">Brahmins, Baniyas are in my pockets, says BJP leader; Cong seeks apology</a></strong></p>.<p>Realising the damage his remarks could do to the traditional 'Brahmin Baniya' vote base, Rao was quick to issue a clarification about what he really meant and hit out at the Congress for "distorting" what he said.</p>.<p>On Monday, Rao had remarked in the course of a media interaction that "Brahmins and Baniyas are in my pockets..." while pitching how his party government is going to have a special focus on scheduled tribes and scheduled castes.</p>.<p> “When the number of people belonging to certain sections was higher, people used to say the party belongs to them. We are working to add more people from the SC/ST sections in our party after finding their lower representation. We are reaching out to all and making the BJP a party for every section,” he had said.</p>.<p>As a short video of Rao's remarks went viral, former Chief Minister Kamal Nath hit out at Rao and asked what kind of respect is given to these classes whose leaders have played an important role in building the BJP, demanding an apology.</p>.<p>Rao later clarified, “We don't discriminate among sections of the society. All Indians should be part of development. The Congress betrayed and divided all sections of the society. If STs are backward, the only reason is that the Congress has done injustice to them."</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos</strong></p>
