Hyderabad: The BJP president Amit Shah during his Hyderabad visit said that the talks were still with the PDP about the formation of the government and that Article 370 was also on a high priority.

“The PDP did not raise the demand directly with us on Article 370. Talks are still on for the formation of the government.

There is an unusual mandate... no party has majority. No one has absolute majority. A government is not formed based on media space but with understanding,” Mr Shah said.

Refusing to comment on MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi’s remarks on conversions, he made light of BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj’s appeal to Hindu women to have four children saying the party did not back him and that Maharaj’s comment is for the media.

“I don’t want to comment on Mr Owaisi’s comments. The BJP seeks the support of all secular parties to ban forcible conversions.

But I am pained to say not a single so-called secular party has come forward to back the law to stop forcible conversion. There should be a law to stop forceful conversion,” he asserted.

Mr Shah, who was in Hyderabad on a party membership drive and steps to make it a force to reckon with in Telangana, spoke extensively on various state and national issues while complimenting the Modi government.

“I appeal to the media to ask the so-called secular parties why they are not coming forward to stop forcible conversion. Will forcible conversion stop by law or discussions in media?

Should a country be run with the media or law? We need a strong law to stop forcible conversion in the country. And the BJP will support it,” he reiterated adding unnecessary comments by senior party leaders, MPs and MLAs could damage the party.

Taking a dig at the UPA government and also the media at every given opportunity, Mr Shah said the Modi government, in a span of six months, earned the goodwill of people and instilled confidence in them through various proactive measures including bringing down prices of essential commodities like petrol and diesel, contained inflation among others.

“People now expect a change. What UPA could not do in 10 years, we did in six to seven months. Inflation was 6.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent but now it is almost zero, the lowest in the last 20 years.

Over 10 times prices of petrol and diesel prices have been slashed. It brought relief to people and households could save Rs 1,500 to 3,500 per month. I say it is a great achievement of the Modi government,” he added.

He justified the Centre taking the ordinance route on some policy matters saying ordinance was part of a democratic process and not a forbidden foreign element.

He spoke on various Modi initiatives including 24x7 power supply to all states on the lines of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in a year’s time, submission of 700 black money accounts to Supreme Court and SIT, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan through public private partnership, fulfilling defence requirements for 10 years, 100 smart cities, Dhan Jan scheme, Make in India, skill development initiative among others.