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‘There is a great divide in what the BJP says and what it does’: Jyotiraditya Scindia
Congress general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia, in charge of the party in west Uttar Pradesh, and also one of the party’s main leaders in Madhya Pradesh, says his party has a two-pronged strategy for its revival in UP.
Congress general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia, in charge of the party in west Uttar Pradesh, and also one of the party’s main leaders in Madhya Pradesh, says his party has a two-pronged strategy for its revival in UP. He also says that it is for the first time in many years that Congress is fighting about 80-85% seats in UP on its own strength. In an interview to Hindustan Times, Scindia says there is a great chasm between what the BJP says and what the BJP does when it comes to nationalism.
Q. As the first phase of polling approaches, how confident are you of the Congress’ prospects in Uttar Pradesh?
A. What we as a party have managed to do over the last month and a half are a couple of things. Firstly, on the ground ensuring that our cadre is rejuvenated. Secondly, stitching together right alliances not only looking at the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but also looking forward (to the assembly elections), whether it is the alliance with JAP (Jan Adhikar Party) or with Apna Dal or with other like minded parties. Thirdly, bolstering our cadre by bringing in people with tremendous grassroots connect such as Avtar Singh Bhadanaji, Ram Lal Rahiji, Savitribai Phuleji or Rakesh Sachanji or Ashok Dohare in Etawah. And finally, making sure we have the right candidates in place who can deliver in the short term as far as Lok Sabha elections are concerned.
Q. But there is also a perception that Congress is dividing the anti-BJP vote?
A. It is most important to understand that we need to rebuild the Congress party based on our core strength. For us, the near term target is the Lok Sabha elections for which we had only about 45 days to prepare but the longer term target is the assembly elections of 2022.
Q. Was your job made a lot easier by the fact that SP and BSP were not keen on an alliance which meant you had to go alone?
A. I don’t want to necessarily say that the job was made easier or tougher. I think it is a great opportunity for the Congress to re-implant itself in the minds and hearts of people. To that end in western UP, after a long time we are fighting 34-35 out of 39 seats. We are fighting almost about 80-85% seats for the first time after many years.
Q. In 2009, you did quite well in UP. What happened in the decade in between?
A. Well, I don’t want to dwell too much on the past but what is very clear is that it is a combination of not only state factors but also central factors. I think 2014 in many ways was not a decay for the Congress alone in Uttar Pradesh but nationwide. What happened in UP was very much representative of what happened in many other states for example my home state Madhya Pradesh we got just 2 of the 29 seats. But now the Congress is back on an upswing. We have won five state elections from Punjab to Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. I think all of this would have an indelible imprint on what’s going to happen on May 23.
Q. Soon after the Pulwama attack, there was resurgence of nationalist fervour even in rural population in Hindi heartland states. Do you think this will be a factor in these elections?
A. Where is the nationalism in a party that has not been able to give martyrdom status to the 39 jawans who lost their lives in the Pulwama attack? Please understand that there is a great divide in what the BJP says and what the BJP does. That is the undeniable defining characteristic of the BJP whether it has to do with nationalism, economic growth, jobs, demonetisation, GST, spirit of tolerance, Babasaheb Ambedkar and Sardar Patel. The Congress party probably does not market itself as strongly it should but whatever the Congress party says or Rahul Gandhi says he ensures that it is done. Secondly, the Congress is very clear in its thought process and paradigm. The job of the Congress party in government is to ensure that growth percolates down to the grassroots level in India. You have seen that from 2004 to 2014. Lifting about 20-25 million people above the poverty line, ensuring close to 7.8% decadal growth rate, putting in place a mass scale MGNREGA programme, a Bharat Nirman scheme which looks at Rs 1 lakh crore investments are no mean tasks. What the BJP has done in five years is only renaming the Congress schemes.
Q. There is a certain level of mistrust between Mayawati and Congress party as compared to SP with which you have friendly terms. Would you do business with her post-polls?
A. I can’t comment on it at this point of time. What is very clear is that the SP-BSP coalition and the Congress have charted different paths. Certainly the goal is the same – to ensure that the BJP does not come back to power. We will show the results on May 23. What happens post that, we will discuss at that time.
Q. What about Madhya Pradesh? Do you think you will be able to translate some of your wins in assembly elections into a good showing in Lok Sabha polls?
A. I am very confident that our victories in by-polls and assembly elections will certainly reflect in the Lok Sabha elections. The results on May 23 will probably be the best results in Madhya Pradesh in the last 15-20 years.
Q. Will you contest from your Lok Sabha seat or elsewhere?
A. As far as my seat is concerned, I have said that very clearly it is for the Congress party to decide. Guna has been my home seat for last 17 year. It is my home and people of Guna are not merely my constituents, they are my family. That is my inner feeling and that feeling extends across Gwalior-Chambal and Malwa as well and today that feeling extends to the people across Madhya Pradesh because of the extensive people-to-people contacts I have worked on over the last five to eight years.
Q. We are seeing a series of IT raids on people associated with the Congress party in MP?
A. The BJP government in the last 2-3 years has been on a path of vindictiveness. It wants a Kisan-mukt Bharat, a Dalit-mukt Bharat, an Adivasi-mukt Bharat, not only a Congress-mukt Bharat but also a vipaksh (opposition)-mukt Bharat. That may be their wish but the people of India have always been much more resilient and they have always sided with truth and justice. I am very confident that we are going to see the end of this BJP government at the Centre.
Q. What is your take on the BJP manifesto?
A. The BJP is completely and totally disconnected with not only the people of India but with the idea of India. The idea of India is unity and diversity. As far as economic policy of this government is concerned, it won’t be an exaggeration to say that it has taken us 20 years back. It has mishandled internal security, foreign policy, economic front and today the people of India are crying for security of life and environment and most importantly for jobs, jobs and jobs.
Q. Is NYAY implementable?
It is absolutely doable and we will show that it is doable. Yes, it will cost us Rs 3.6 lakh crore and yes we will raise the resources. The same questions were asked to us when we talked about MGNREGA, Bharat Nirman and Rajiv Gandhi Gram Vidyutikiran Yojana. Did we not do it? Look 15 years ago in 2004, no one could think about Rs 40,000 crore being deployed for MGNREGA or Rs 72000 crore for farm loan waiver and all this was done by the UPA government. Today, we have done farm loan waiver of Rs 79000 crore for about a crore of farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Where there is a will, determination and grit, even the impossible can become possible. That is the difference between Congress and BJP.
Q. Rahul Gandhi is contesting from two seats. Your opponents are saying he has opted for a safe seat of Wayanad because he is facing a tough contest in Amethi.
Rahul Gandhi is fighting from two seats. He is joining and creating a unity and unison between north and south India. You will see the result of that on May 23. It will create a huge ripple effect both in south and north India. And this is not for the first time that a leader is fighting from two seats, Mr Narendra Modi has done that and Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee had done that. Why were these questions not asked then? Rahul Gandhi’s intention is quite clear – he is going to fight and win both seats.
Q. Will Priyanka Gandhi Vadra contest from Uttar Pradesh?
A. That is her personal decision
