Did not use govt machinery to trigger defections: Shah

BJP chief Amit Shah today dismissed allegations of the BJP having engineered defections in rival parties, claiming a misinformation campaign was being carried out as those who had joined the party had done so during elections.
Talking to reporters on the last day of his three-day visit, he said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had resigned as he did not want to put up with corruption.
Shah also said he does not have information about three the MLCs (two from SP and one from BSP) who had resigned from the UP Legislative Council.
"Whosoever came to the BJP from other political parties, had done so during elections. But, a misinformation campaign (kuprachaar) was carried out," he said about allegations that the party had triggered defections in other parties.

"All the politicians from other parties, who had joined the BJP, were presented before the people of the state to seek their mandate. We did not misuse the government machinery for triggering defection," he said.
"In Bihar, we did not break any party. Nitish Kumar had tendered his resignation as he had decided that he will not put up with corruption," he said.

On the possibility of senior SP leader Shivpal Yadav joining the party, he said, "There are no such plans."
The BJP chief, while answering a question on eyeing the Yadavs--the traditional votebank of the SP--and having a lunch at the house of party worker, Shah said, "There is no need to derive more political meaning from this. Dalits are also BJP workers, and Sonu Yadav is also a BJP worker."

Yesterday, Shah along with Adityanath and both the deputy chief ministers had visited Yadav's house for lunch.
He had also had lunch at the house of a Dalit family during his visit to Rajasthan.
On the speculations of UP BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya being sent to the Centre, Shah said, "Maurya will work full- time for the Uttar Pradesh government, as soon as the new UP BJP chief is decided."
He also praised the Yogi Adityanath-led government, saying it was doing a good job in the state.
He claimed that the way in which the administration has been politicised in the state, it will take some time for the things to improve. "But, I assure the people of Uttar Pradesh that rule of law will be established," he said.

He also mentioned that there has been an improvement in the energy sector after the Adityanath government came to power.
There has been a large scale purchase of wheat and the payment of dues to sugarcane farmers have also been ensured.
Shah also said that under the SP and BSP governments, payment of dues to the cane farmers was not made due to collusion with sugar mill owners.
Replying to questions on expressway and metro rail, he said, "We do not want to make an expressway which is similar to the one made by (former CM) Akhilesh Yadav. We do not believe in making promises, but in concrete work, and actually want to do concrete work. We do not want to make a metro rail which does not run."

On the question of the BJP's commitment to construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, Shah said, "We will construct Ram temple as per the provisions of law or through mutual talks.