Patna: The BJP seems to be working overtime to woo the backward castes, if Bihar unit president Nityanand Rai's session with the press on Tuesday was any indication.

"The Narendra Modi government has been able to reach out to 22 crore poor families by improving their living condition through various initiatives in its first four years at the Centre," Rai said.

He cited construction of 7.25 crore toilets, disbursement of Mudra loans among 11 crore beneficiaries, free LPG connection to 4 crore families and other such schemes to substantiate his claim.

He said the Modi government had set up a commission to ensure reservation benefits to the most deserving among the backward castes. The five-member commission, headed by former Delhi High Court chief justice G. Rohini, to examine sub-categorisation of other backward classes (OBC) was set up in October last year.

Rai also mentioned the Rs 95,000 crore earmarked for Dalits and highlighted the Modi government's works for developing the five places related to the life of BR Ambedkar. "While Congress did everything to humiliate Ambedkar, our government worked for attaching importance to the places related to his life," Rai said.

He said the Opposition had blocked ithe Centre's bill to accord constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes.