BJP only wants dalit votes not dalit leader: Udit Raj

Stepping up his tirade against the BJP which he recently quit after being denied ticket, Udit Raj on Tuesday alleged a dalit can rise to any position in the saffron party only if he is "deaf and dumb".

Raj, who has joined the Congress, suggested that Ram Nath Kovind was nominated by the BJP to the president's post as he did not raise his voice in the party and added he was expressing his views "about a person and not making a comment on the office of President".

BJP wants dalits, not dalit leader. They would have made me prime minister if I had been deaf and dumb in the party. They want a deaf and dumb dalit and dalit votes but not a dalit leader, Raj, who was BJP MP from North-West Delhi, said at a press conference at Congress office here.

Mr Ram Nath Kovind came to me on 20 May 2014 with his biodata asking me to recommend him to the party so that he may get some position and recognition. I tried also. Anyways, after that he became governor and then president also , Raj said.

If a ...