BJP general secretary Bhupendra Yadav Friday said in the last five years, the party-led government has worked for overall development of backward classes and also poverty alleviation.

He said there is no merit in perception in some quarters that people from minority and backward communities have faced persecution under the BJP-led government.

"I think there is no merit in such perceptions. In the last five years, our government has moved forward in social equality, poverty alleviation, social representation and development of pilgrim sites related to Babasaheb Ambedkar," he said.

Yadav was addressing a press conference here on the eve of national convention of the BJP SC Morcha beginning here Saturday.

Asked about the BJP's prospects in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, he said the country wants Narendra Modi as prime minister again.

"The biggest subject of the 2019 elections is that the country needs a 'strong' (majboot) government and not a 'helpless' (majboor government)," Yadav said.

The prime minister during the Congress-led UPA government was "helpless", while Modi has given a strong government in the last five years, the BJP leader said.

"The BJP wants a strong government and considers the entire country as one family," Yadav said.

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