An Indian political party has pledged to ban anti-Christian groups and to reserve jobs for minorities if it is elected.

India is due to go to the polls on 16 April.

The main focus of the election will be the race between the Indian National Congress, which was instrumental in winning independence from the British Empire, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which strongly promotes a Hindu identity for the nation.

There will also be many regional and caste based parties taking part in the election. Voting is expected to take place over a period of a month, with the first polls opening on 16 April.

According to the Global Council of Indian Christians, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) has promised to ban anti-Christian organisations such as Rashtriya Swayam Sevaks (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal.

The LJP has also pledged to change the Constitution to reserve 15 per cent of jobs for minorities, including 10 per cent for Muslims. The promise was made by LJP secretary general, Abdul Khaliq.

The party said it would offer “leakage proof reservations for Scheduled Caste (SC)s and Schedule Tribe (ST)s, SC status for Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians and for landless poor belonging to SC and ST communities”.