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‘Contesting Lok Sabha polls is out of question’: Rajasthan health minister Raghu Sharma
Congress has a counter for everything. The BJP is unable to decide what will be the theme of election and this is our win.
Rajasthan health minister and Congress campaign committee chairperson Raghu Sharma scotched all speculations about his contesting the Lok Sabha polls, saying ‘this is out of question’. In an interview with Sachin Saini, the senior Congress leader, who won LS bypolls in 2018 from Ajmer, spoke about the Congress’s campaign strategy, MLAS contesting elections, and Mission-25. Edited Excerpts:
How does the Congress plan to counter the BJP’S election campaign? What will be the strategy?
Our campaign strategy is clear. We will counter the BJP and Narendra Modi on issues that they raised before the 2014 polls. They are now trying to change the narrative first by saying that ‘Modi Hai Toh Mumkin Hai’ (MHTMH) and then labelling everyone as a ‘chowkidar;’ they are changing their stands, which means none of the slogans is working. Had they continued with the ‘Mumkin’ slogan, we would have said MHTMH inflation, unemployment, cheating farmers, demonetisation and so on. They withdrew ‘Mumkin’ slogan and are saying all are ‘chowkidar’. The rich can have chowkidar. How will a poor keep a chowkidar? Congress has a counter for everything. The BJP is unable to decide what will be the theme of election and this is our win.
Has Congress changed strategy in view of recent incidents on the border?
Surgical strike is an action and success of our army. BJP is trying to politicise the issue, which is unfortunate. Army is of everyone and it cannot be divided among parties; if the PM tries this, it is insult to the army. Every citizen is standing with the army as they are pride of the nation.
You were elected an MP in Ajmer Lok Sabha bypoll and then an MLA from Kekri in 2018 assembly polls. Now there are rumours that you may fight LS elections again from Ajmer?
Rumours send a wrong message among workers. I never wanted to contest LS bypolls, it was high command’s decision. I had told them I am interested in assembly polls. I agreed to high command’s directions. It was a challenge as no one was thinking that Ajmer will be won. We were contesting against the government but because of workers’ hard work and united efforts of leaders, we won. I had also then said that I will contest assembly polls as people of the constituency want it. I resigned from parliament in December 2018, and got elected to the assembly. If I had plans to fight LS polls, then why would I have resigned? Contesting LS polls is out of question. I will support whoever is fighting, but there is no question of me contesting.
Is selecting candidates for LS polls a challenge for the party, with many candidates who contested 2014 polls have been elected to the assembly?
There is nothing like that. Every region has its own political equations, considering which best possible candidates will be selected. If the party’s strategy is to win all 25 seats, then why will a weak candidate be fielded?
Will MLAS be contesting from LS seats?
Certainly there are chances, if the party feels. For example, I was asked to contest. If the high command directs a leader to fight, he has to do it.
In the past many LS elections, the Congress has not won more than 20 seats. What will change this time?
In 1985 we won all the seats and even BJP got all seats only once. When we got 96 seats in 2008 assembly polls, we had won 20 LS seats. This time our numbers have increased to 101; we are fully prepared for LS polls.
Our workers are trained in around 51000 booths in Rajasthan. In last two months after the assembly elections happened, the decisions taken by the government are compared with BJP’S. The BJP dumped its manifesto promises after winning elections. They came out with a 604-point manifesto in 2013, what happened to it? The state Congress government has taken 21 important decisions, all there in the manifesto, which have sent a message to the public that what we say is delivered. People are comparing our work with that of the BJP government.
Don’t you think similar is the situation in Rajasthan with two power centres?
In Rajasthan, government is run unitedly and it is a good thing. The BJP government was one-man army of Vasundhara Raje. She has been sidelined because of political reasons. They are fighting polls with a B-team, which means their defeat is certain on all 25 seats.
Are leaders from BJP joining Congress? If yes, will they be contesting elections?
It is too early to say anything on such things. But in politics such things do happen. There are many people who are in touch with us. When Harish Meena joined us, three other MPS told me let us also join.
How different will be the party’s campaign this time?
Congress is doing micro-level management. We have addressed booths in such a way that workers are vigilant and know how to counter BJP. Workers are trained and informed about propaganda of the BJP and achievements of the Congress. We will fight unitedly as this election is being fought under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership. The assembly elections were semifinal and this is final, which we will win.
