Indore: Seeking to challenge Rahul
Gandhi's bid to attract Dalits, BJP President Nitin Gadkari
walked the extra mile to show his concern for the community on
the eve of the three-day party meet beginning here Wednesday.
Putting his best foot forward to attract Dalits, the
first thing Gadkari, 52, did after reaching here yesterday was
to proceed to nearby Mhow, the birthplace of B R Ambedkar and
pay his respects by garlanding the statue of the Dalit icon
there.
Later, he went to the house of a local BJP corporator
Preeti Karosiya who hails from the Dalit Valmiki community for
lunch.
Gadkari has time and again declared that the focus of
the party would be more on Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes,
minorities and other weaker sections.
His pet theme has been 'Antyodaya', serving the last
man in the queue.
The new BJP president aims to increase the party's
votebank by 10 per cent by winning over these sections.
Infact, BJP has now been saying that its aim was to
provide good governance and development while working for the
'last man'.
Rahul Gandhi has been visiting Dalit households
during his tours in Uttar Pradesh.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, February 17, 2010, 09:55