Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra on Wednesday termed the two-day AICC OBC advisory council meeting held here as an "election gimmick" ahead of the Bihar polls, and challenged the grand old party to announce its president Mallikarjun Kharge as its prime ministerial candidate, to prove its commitment towards backward classes and SC/STs.

Claiming that the meeting is not about the upliftment and development of backward classes, he said the Congress, which had ruled the country and the state long after independence, should be held responsible for the backwardness of these communities.

"AICC's OBC panel conducted a meeting yesterday and it is going on today also. The agenda of the meeting is not about the upliftment or development of OBC, SC/ST communities, the agenda is how to win the Bihar assembly elections. This is the real agenda," Vijayendra said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said it is the Congress which has ruled both the state and the country for the last 55-60 years and if there is no development and social justice to these communities, "who should be held responsible?" "It is the Congress party -- you are the one who ruled this country for more than 55 years. Now, when the Bihar elections are near, the OBC panel of the AICC holding a meeting here in Karnataka, in Bengaluru, does not carry any importance. There is no relevance for this meeting. It is only a political gimmick. It's an election gimmick for the upcoming Bihar elections," he added.

Highlighting the BJP's track record in appointing leaders from OBC and SC/ST communities as CMs in various states, Vijayendra said, "Congress and Siddaramaiah make speeches. I challenge them. If the Congress has even a bit of concern about OBC or SC/ST communities, let them announce Mallikarjun Kharge as their prime ministerial candidate. Let see." "It is not possible for them as the Gandhi family won't accept it. Neither Rahul Gandhi nor Sonia Gandhi will accept it," he said.

Accusing Congress of creating rift between castes and dividing society, the state BJP chief said they do not have concerns about backward classes, SC/STs and minorities -- Muslims, and they only shed "crocodile teas" for these communities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's agenda is inclusive development with last mile delivery, he said, adding that neither CM Siddaramaiah nor the Congress party has any morality to preach BJP about the upliftment of OBC and SC/STs.

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