If communal tension persists, BJP will form govt in Uttar Pradesh: Amit Shah

New Delhi: If communal tension continues in Uttar Pradesh, BJP will form the next government in the state, party president Amit Shah has said.

He also hit out at Congress President Sonia Gandhi for blaming his party for the rise in communal clashes in the country and her charge that over 600 communal incidents had taken place during the NDA regime.

Shah instead put the blame on the "one-sided approach" of the Uttar Pradesh police for the rise in communal tension.

"Maharashtra and Haryana are going to the polls. Why is there no communal tension? Why only in UP? If communal tension continues in UP, I can tell you, BJP will form the next government in UP with a clear majority," Shah told Rajat

Sharma on his programme 'Aap Ki Adalat' on India TV, according to a release from the channel.

The BJP President also debunked media reports about Ministers in the Narendra Modi government as "misleading and baseless" and charged the media with making an unsuccessful attempt at tarnishing the image of the BJP-led government.

"A large section of media is trying to tarnish our government's image but has failed." he said while talking about "baseless" reports on Home Minister Rajnath Singh's son and Union Ministers Prakash Javadekar and Dharmendra Pradhan.

"If the newspapers think their reports are correct, let them at least name the ministers and the sources of their reports," he said.

Denying reports of any differences in the BJP government over who was "Number 2", he said, "Rajnathji is No 2 and it is clear from the seating arrangements. There is no confusion."

Notwithstanding the setback the party had received in the recent Assembly bypolls, Shah claimed the BJP will get a two-third majority in Haryana and will form governments in

Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir as well.

"Though our party suffered some reverses in the recent Assembly bye-elections, I am confident that the forthcoming Assembly polls in four states will make everything clear (doodh ka doodh, paani ka paani). All these four states will have BJP governments," he said.

Shah said, "Formation of governments in these four states will be the achievement of the next stage of our agenda of Congress-free India (Congress-mukt bharat)."

Admitting that some ticklish issues were required to be ironed out with its alliance partner Shiv Sena in Maharashtra ahead of assembly polls in the state, Shah said, "Our alliance with the Shiv Sena has been there for many years. As far as differences are concerned, it is our internal matter (yeh ghar ki baat hai), and will be ironed out among ourselves."

Shah also downplayed reports of Shiromani Akali Dal, an NDA ally siding with Om Parkash Chautala's INLD in Haryana saying, "The Badals had been supporting Chautala in Haryana since long. Yet, I am confident we will get two-thirds majority."

Attacking Rahul Gandhi on his charge that the Prime Minister was beating drums in Japan at a time when people were facing problems of power and water shortage, he said, "Rahul's party and the UPA were beating their own drum for the last 10 years and problems relating to power, water and roads were the outcome of 10 years of UPA rule."

Shah also listed out a host of achievements of the Modi government in its first 100 days that included the higher GDP growth, a strong rupee, declining petrol prices and financial inclusion of 4.5 crore people.