Exclusive | UP polls: BJP state president Keshav Prasad Maurya says Muslim candidates may not be included in next list of candidates too

Political parties are gearing up for battleground Uttar Pradesh. The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) is looking forward to end the 14-year exile and is hopeful of forming its government in the biggest state of the country.

BJP state President Keshav Prasad Maurya in an exclusive interview to News state said that this time the BJP will end the exile in UP in such a way that it will never face such situation in the future.

The BJP had recently released a list of 149 candidates for Western UP and it doesn't include any Muslim face even as the region has maximum number of Muslim voters. There are 403 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh.

According to Maurya, the BJP may refrain from including a Muslim candidate in its next list of candidates for UP polls too.

Below are the excerpts from Keshav Prasad Maurya's exclusive interview:

#BJP doesn't give ticket on the basis of religion but to the face who has a potential to win

#It is possible that the next list of BJP candidates for UP polls may not have the name of any Muslim candidate

#Leaders from any party joining BJP become a pure BJP leader

#There is no impact of Congress leaders joining BJP

#If any leader from other party wishes to join BJP, we welcome them, provided they have the capability to perform in the party

#BJP is against parivarwad

#Ram Temple is not the poll issue in UP assembly elections

#We will accept Supreme Court's decision on Ram Mandir issue

#There should be capital punishment for cow slaughter