Former JD(U) minister Jamshed Ashraf joins BJP

Former JD(U) minister Jamshed Ashraf today joined BJP along with his supporters in presence of senior leader Sushil Kumar Modi and the party's Bihar unit chief Mangal Pandey.
Welcoming Ashraf to the party, Modi said his presence would strengthen BJP and the cause of minorities in the state.
"Welfare work for the Muslims is suffering in the state after JD(U) parted ways with BJP. Many projects were taken up when we were in the government," said Modi, who is Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council.
Modi, also former deputy chief minister, said BJP would give tickets to more minority community members in the coming Assembly elections and added that the party has given tickets to 20 Muslims in the ongoing Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections.

Ashraf said barring the 2002 Gujarat riots, 47,000 big and small communal riots took place in the country since Independence during the rule of non-BJP parties.
"Various parties have indulged in vote bank politics by instilling fear of BJP among the Muslims. The minority community needs to come to the mainstream today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to see Quran in one hand of a Muslim and computer in the other," Ashraf added.

Ashraf, who had been a JD(U) leader, was axed by then Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in 2010 after he had alleged that officers working in the CM's Secretariat were involved in a multi-crore excise scam in the state.

Ashraf also called for construction of houses at Mecaa by the Centre for pilgrims.
Meanwhile, Pandey flagged off 'Bedari Yatra' during which Ashraf would visit all the districts of the state.
The yatra is being organised to suspicion from the mind of Muslims about BJP.