Congress candidate Anshul Avijit from Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar faces an uphill task of wresting the seat from BJP. In an interview with Ramashankar, the son of the first woman Speaker of Lok Sabha Meira Kumar with a PhD from Cambridge says BJP has only created a propaganda that no other party can win from here. Excerpts:
Your party has chosen you to contest from a constituency considered BJP’s safest seat. What is your take on this?
BJP is very good at propaganda creating an impression that they are impregnable. I consider it as my privilege that my party has selected me to contest from Patna Sahib. It is wrong to presume that no other party can win an election from here. There is a strong anti-incumbency against BJP MP (Ravi Shankar Prasad) as people of the constituency are disappointed with him. The BJP candidate also faces the charge of being inaccessible to the people whom he claims to represent.
How do you think RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s job plank will help bolster your electoral prospects?
It will definitely be an advantage for me as youths are attracted to the opposition alliance as they have seen how Tejashwi did not only make a promise but also made sure to fulfil it by giving 5 lakh government jobs in the 17-month rule of the previous grand alliance.
How well prepared is Bihar’s grand alliance contesting the elections and what are your hopes?
In Bihar, the opposition alliance is contesting elections as a cohesive unit. I am getting support from everybody, RJD’s Tejashwi, CPI(ML)’s Dipankar Bhattacharya... We are confident we will put up a very good show.
How will you react to the dynastic politics charge?
I feel proud my family has such a strong political ground and they served the people of this country and state so well. I draw inspiration from them.
What about the Modi wave?
The myth about this Modi wave will be dispelled in this election. Everybody is fed up with the Modi government, the most incompetent dispensation we do have till now.