BJP in UP now eyes Sufi route to woo Muslims

Lucknow, Feb 10 (IANS) The BJP in Uttar Pradesh will now take the Sufi route to win over Muslims voters.

Sufism is the mystical Islamic belief in which Muslims seek to find the truth of divine affection.

The BJP has asked its minority cell to hold the 'Sufi Sammelans' primarily in Muslim dominated localities of the state.

According to an estimate, Muslim population accounts for a sizeable chunk in around 30,000 of the over 1. 6 lakh polling booths in the state.

These 'qaumi chaupals', will be similar to 'gram chaupals' that were organised by the BJP before 2022 Assembly elections to connect with the beneficiaries of the various welfare schemes initiated by the Centre and the state government.

UP BJP minority cell chief Kunwar Basit Ali said that the party has been reaching out to all sections of the society.

"The followers of Sufism are equally important for the party. We are in the process of planning a campaign to reach out to them in the coming days," he said.

Sufis are essentially associated with dargahs (shrines), contrasting with the Wahabi Muslims who regard dargahs as places of idol worship, which is forbidden in Islam. They believe that going to a dargah is worshipping the grave of the Sufi saint, whereas Islam permits worship of only Allah.

The BJP is already making a conscious effort to win over Pasmanda (backward) Muslims, months after PM Narendra Modi pitched for expediting the process of ensuring welfare measures reach the socially oppressed rung among the Muslims.

The development has been attaining significance even as the BJP lays out its poll template in the run up to civic and Lok Sabha polls.

Analysts said that BJP is making efforts to woo the Muslims who have been consolidating heavily behind the Opposition, primarily the Samajwadi Party.