RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Jan.14: Union minister of State for Education Annapura Devi, a BJP MP belonging to OBC category, sees no threat in quitting by OBC MLAs from BJP-led alliance just weeks ahead of polls.
Annapurna Devi is among the group of union ministers who are assisting UP election in-charge Dharmedra Pradhan.
In an exclusive interview with lagatar24.com from UP, she made it clear saying “some people have personal agenda while being in BJP. I have realized that the party wants its leaders to work for all cutting across caste, creed and religion.”
“I do not think MLAs quitting the BJP-led alliance can do much damage to the alliance. I have noticed several influential backward leaders coming in the alliance too for a greater cause,” Annapurna said.
Asked categorically about Swami Prasad Maurya, whose resignation from Yogi Adityanath’s cabinet on Wednesday set off a flurry of exits, she said: “It is his old pattern of leaving the party before election. He had joined the BJP leaving the BSP in the same way. His exit will make no difference.”
Asked what steps she is taking to keep the OBC votes of BJP intact, Annapurna took strong exception saying as a BJP leader she does not think about a particular category but for all.
“We as a BJP leader make people aware of what the BJP has done for all including OBCs. I can notice people getting my words when I tell them what the BJP has done to give security to all including women, SC and other communities. Apart from this, I also find them getting sense in my words when I let them know about numerous developmental works taken by the BJP government in UP,” she said.
“BJP has increased the number of medical colleges in UP from 11 to 52 and spread the net of roads besides providing irrigation facility, power. When I share all this, I notice a sense of satisfaction on the faces of common people and then accept that in the BJP rule investors have started coming in UP and an atmosphere of business has developed. They realize how the expressway has taken UP to the next level and the sense of security has given people courage to come forward with any project,” she added.
Annapurna was contacted when it came to fore that UP MLA Chaudhary Amar Singh of the Apna Dal quit the BJP-led alliance today and it was the eleventh resignation for Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in three days.
Besides Maurya, the latest blow to the BJP ahead of assembly elections, minister and OBC leader Dharam Singh Saini, who resigned on Thursday from the state cabinet.
Annapurna Devi’s political journey
She was elected to the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly, from Koderma (Vidhan Sabha constituency) as a member of the Rashtriya Janata Dal.
She was elected to the Lok Sabha, lower house of the Parliament of India from Kodarma, Jharkhand in the 2019 general election as member of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
After winning the Lok Sabha elections, she was first made the vice president of Jharkhand State BJP. After that she was also made the National Vice President of BJP and co-in-charge of Haryana.
She is the second Lok Sabha member from the state to have joined the Union cabinet after tribal affairs minister Arjun Munda. Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is also a member of Rajya Sabha from Jharkhand.
An RJD veteran who represented Koderma assembly seat on four occasions, she was also a minister in the Hemant Soren government in 2013.
