Upbeat after wins in bypolls, UP minister Ansari says Muslims clearly rejected AIMIM's vote bank politics

However, the so called leaders who consider the Muslim community as their own votebank...

Uttar Pradesh minister Danish Azad Ansari on Sunday took a dig at the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM, saying those who considered Muslims as their votebank are tensed after the BJP won bypolls in constituencies dominated by the community.

The Minister of State for Minority Welfare said the BJP's ''historic'' win in the Lok Sabha bypolls to Rampur and Azamagarh in June and Rampur assembly bypoll recently, clearly indicated that ordinary Muslims ''rejected'' the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen.

Ansari, the lone Muslim member in the Yogi Adityanath-led council of ministers, said the community had now become aware and started moving on the path of peace.

''It is unitedly moving towards development, employment and education. However, the so called leaders who consider the Muslim community as their own votebank... their worries have increased as they are unable to digest the Muslim community's contribution in the state and the country's progress,'' he claimed.

Ansari alleged that such leaders wanted the Muslims to ''always remain deprived of development and education so that they could remain confined as votebank''.

The minister hailed the BJP governments at the Centre and the state and said they were working with full honesty towards the development of Muslims.

''This is the reason why the community is now voting in favour of the BJP. The party's historic win in the Lok Sabha bypolls a few months ago and the recently-held assembly bypoll clearly indicates this,'' he said.