Rajnath Singh meets Muslim clerics in Lucknow

Rajnath Singh

Stepping up the campaign for Bharatiya Janata Party in the state, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh met prominent Muslim clerics on Tuesday.

Rajnath Singh met Lucknow Eidgah Imam Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali and Shia clerics Maulana Agha Roohi and Maulana Yasoob Abbas.

Rajnath Singh is pitted against Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate Poonam Sinha and Congress candidate Pramod Krishnam from the Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency.

Singh says that he does not believe that Modi's persona is overshadowing the work of other lawmakers and ministers.

"Whatever ministers or MPs do, they do it after getting the team leader's consent, it is but natural. All policy decisions are taken under the chairmanship of the prime minister. So, saying that the work of other ministers or MPs is overshadowed is not right," he says.

To a query why the BJP's campaign has no mention of demonetisation and GST, Singh, who headed the party's manifesto committee, says they are no longer poll issues.

Asked why the BJP has 'imported' candidates from outside the party, like Bhojpuri film actors Nirahua and Ravi Kishan, Bollywood star Sunny Deol and Pragya Thakur, he says it shows the party's "inclusive and pluralistic" character.

Polling in Lucknow will be held on May 06, and counting of votes will take place on May 23.

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