Amit Shah Steers Clear Of Controversial Issues For UP Elections

New Delhi: BJP president Amit Shah today indicated that the party will fight the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls on development plank which, he insisted, has been the Modi government's agenda.

At a press conference to publicise the "achievements" of the Modi government, he chose to stick to the narrative of the central government's "pro-poor" and "pro-farmers" work as he faced a volley of questions on BJP's stand on controversial but core party issues in the light of crucial Uttar Pradesh polls.

"These are part of our manifesto and if you read it you will find that it is mentioned there as to how we intend to work on them," he said.

BJP has maintained in its manifesto that it supports Ram temple construction but it should be done either with consensus or as per judicial decision.

"Bajrang Dal is not BJP," he shot back when asked on its and VHP's pitch for temple construction.

"You should only listen to the government," he said on issues raised by these outfits. To a question about armed training being given by Bajrang Dal to its activists in parts of UP, he said the state government should take action if there is anything unlawful.

Mr Shah, who is credited with the party's landslide win in the state during the Lok Sabha polls, was tight-lipped over whether it will name a chief ministerial candidate in the state, saying the issue is yet to be discussed in the party.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)