The BJP today exhorted the minority communities in the country to join the party and rally behind the leadership of L.K. Advani, the prime ministerial candidate of the party and the National Democratic Alliance led by the BJP. The senior BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu, addressing the meeting of the BJP Minority Morcha National Executive in Hyderabad Saturday said that the party was willing to field more Muslim candidates in the elections and give them more opportunities in the party, if they join the party. “People ask how many Muslims you will give ticket. For that, there should be people in the party first. Please join the BJP, accept it as your own party and automatically party will give you a chance like Najma Hepthullah was brought to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan,” he said. “You can't have a child with out marriage. Without joining the party you can't ask about opportunities”, he said adding, “the BJP needs more leaders from the minority communities, those who are popular, capable and committed.” Meanwhile, the success of Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan in films and presence of several Muslim players in the Indian cricket team was today used by Naidu to drive home the point that Muslims were not discriminated against in the name of religion in India. Naidu recalled that since independence three Muslims - Zakir Hussain, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad and Dr. Abdul Kalam had become country's president. __
