Bhagalpur, Apr 5 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shahnawaz Hussain has said that he would focus more on development rather than playing caste politics.

Hussain had suffered defeat in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections from his home constituency Kishanganj. However, he contested again to win the by-elections from Bhagalpur, defeating the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Shakuni Chaudhury.

Hussain said he was confident enough to win the constituency again.

“In the past, the villagers have been cheated and no progress had been done. After the NDA’s arrival some good work has taken place and our local MLA is also doing a lot of work. But I feel a lot of unfinished works still need to be done. I will make sure that I will stand to their aspirations and fulfill their wishes,” Hussain said.

The residents of Bhagalpur also believe the BJP candidate would not indulge in politics of faith, belief and social tags of caste but stand for equal justice, honour and rights of the people, particularly in the villages.

“I will vote for the BJP because I feel Hussain is a very good politician and has done good works in the past in our constituency,” said Devi, a villager.

Despite these trends, the voters in Bhagalpur, which is a communally-sensitive constituency, are now apprehensive and suspicious of the overall integrity and national leadership of the BJP.

Shahnawaz Hussain is a two-time BJP MP with a broad, progressive outlook.

He was yet to complete 32 when he became first a Minister of State and later he was elevated to cabinet rank during the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government between 1999 and 2004. (ANI)