After the morale-boosting wins in the UP bypolls, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav tells Namita Bajpai how he plans to continue the tie-up with the Bahujan Samaj Party as he plots the roadmap for a grand alliance against the BJP for Battle 2019
Buoyed by twin thumping victories in the Uttar Pradesh bypolls, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is ready with a roadmap for Battle 2019. In conversation with The Sunday Standard, Akhilesh shares his views and plans for a formidable grand alliance against the BJP.
The BSP’s support has really worked wonders in the UP bypolls. What else do you think went in your favour or against the BJP in Gorakhpur and Phulpur?
The BJP has been misguiding people with hollow promises that were never fulfilled. People are annoyed and bypoll results are a reflection of that annoyance against the dispensation. Moreover, the outcome has given us confidence that the BJP can be defeated.
The two victories have come as a great morale-booster for your party...
These wins have answered all those queries about the Opposition’s narrative. I think the BJP has given us this beautiful narrative, which has paid off. In the 2017 Assembly polls, I had woven my entire campaign courageously around the development done by my government. But this time, BJP forced us to change our narrative. By calling us saanp-chhachoonder (snake and shrewmouse), they gave us the victory mantra. We used their weapon against them.
Do you agree with the BJP’s argument that low vote percentage was a reason for its defeat?
The bigger the vote percentage, the larger would have been our victory margin. In fact, it all depends on the swing. If it is a positive swing for a party, it will continue to win, but if it is negative, defeat will continue irrespective of vote percentage. Had ballot papers been used and percentage been high, the margin of their defeat would have been larger.
How do you plan to go about your alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party?
It has just taken off. This was just for the Uttar Pradesh bypolls. But we intend to continue with it. We will sit and thrash out a broader strategy.
How smooth will the seat-sharing exercise be and how will you address the political ambitions of aspirants?
This time the issue is different in the country. I have already made it amply clear that I am ready to sacrifice anything to safeguard parliamentary democracy in the country.
If your alliance continues, will you hold a joint campaign with BSP supremo Mayawati during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls?
Of course, I will. Now all the hatchets have been buried. I visited her and expressed my gratitude for her support.
What would be the role of the Congress in this alliance?
We have good ties with the Congress and will continue to have the same. Though we are regional forces and will play a bigger role in UP, the Congress is a bigger party at the national level and has a national role to play. However, the BSP’s national party status is a different issue. So it is also the responsibility of the Congress to keep congenial relations with all like-minded parties.
Leader of Opposition and your MLA, Ram Govind Chaudhary, has claimed that after the SP-BSP tie- up, you will look after Uttar Pradesh while Mayawati will be the Prime Minister candidate?
I can’t comment as I don’t know the reference of Chaudhary’s observation. But I believe that the alliance was stitched as these bypolls were very important and the BSP backed us. The foundation has been laid. The shape of our alliance will be decided later. Political forces across the country are making efforts to cobble up a grand alliance and the Congress will have a prominent role in it. In such a scenario, usually the leader is decided only after the tie-up takes a concrete shape. Sometimes, even people decide the leader of such political combos.
What do you have to say about the police encounters to tame criminals in the present regime?
They have fared miserably on the law and order front, rather, on all fronts. The encounters have not been able to deliver the required results. Criminals are not scared as these are political encounters. Why are the police not apprehending culprits just after commission of crime? I am not saying so. When the kin of encounter victims will approach the national agencies and watchdogs, the government will have to answer all of them.
After one year in office, how do you rate this government on a scale of 10?
They just don’t deserve any scale. The track record has been really bad. Children’s death for lack of oxygen, soaring crime against women, ministers levelling charges of corruption, farmers, youth are suffering, the teaching community is also unhappy. They promised the skies but failed to deliver anything on the ground. They have nothing to boast about in one year. Law and order is in tatters. No one is happy, neither their allies nor the voter. The claims about loan waiver also proved hollow. Farmers are still committing suicide in large number in Bundelkhand region and no compensation is being given to their dependents.
Did sulking UP cabinet minister and Suheldev Bahujan Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar reach out to you?
No, he did not. But the way he is going vocal against his government and the BJP, it seems he is eager to get in touch with me (laughs). I will entertain him if approaches me.
What would be the roadmap of your party for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections irrespective of alliances?
I am planning everything meticulously. I am focusing on booth management and taking issues to the people at the village level. I will try to go to as many places as possible, rest my party cadre will fulfil this responsibility. I have asked senior leaders of my party to have a personal connect with the people.
Will you contest from Kannauj in 2019? If yes, where will you field sitting MP and your wife, Dimple, from?
If the party asks me, I will fight. Dimple will not contest this time because the BJP has been blaming us for propagating ‘parivaarwad’ (dynastic politics). However, I believe that even the BJP is ridden with parivaarwad. Apart from sons of various BJP leaders doing well in politics, even Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s elevation as Gorakhnath Mutt mahant is attributed to his blood relation with his guruji, Mahant Avaidyanth.
Any redefined role for your uncle, Shivpal Yadav, in the new scheme of things?
He is our party MLA and will work for the party. Since we are no more in government, no other role for him, either.