BJP's diverting public attention from Yogi govt's failures, says Akhilesh Yadav

The five years that Akhilesh Yadav spent on the Opposition benches appear to have matured him into a wiser politician. Unlike in 2017, the former CM is now in full control of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and making intelligent political decisions. Realising that the 15% upper castes are largely consolidated behind BJP, he is focusing mostly on OBCs, Dalits & minorities. He earlier traversed across UP during his Vijay Rath Yatra last October-November. During the yatra, he raised pertinent issues like rising unemployment & price rise and mishandling of the pandemic; drawing warm responses from the public. Dismissing BJP's accusation of SP's deep links with criminals & mafia, he says that BJP is doing so only to divert public attention from the failures of the Yogi govt.

Q: Alluding tothe20% Muslim population of the state, CM Yogi described this election as a battle between 80% versus 20%. SP Maurya – who joined SP after quitting BJP – describes this election as a battle between 85% versus 15%, alluding to the 15% upper caste population in UP. How do you see this election?

Ans: Samajwadi Party believes in taking along every section of society; whereas BJP politics is rooted in discrimination against the OBCs, Dalits and minorities. By describing this election as 80 % versus 20%, Yogi Adityanath has in fact admitted that BJP will get 20 % of the seats in UP while the rest 80% will go to SP.

Q: In addition to several OBC & SC/ST ministers in the outgoing Yogi govt, 7 leaders from UP were inducted in the union ministry in July 2021. Of them, 6 come from EBC & Dalit castes.

Ans: Those are backwards only on paper. If they are true representatives of their castes, then why are they not pressing the govt for a caste census? The reality is that BJP belongs to no one, not even Lord Ram. BJP has done huge corruption in the land purchases in Ayodhya. Local BJP MLAs and close relatives of bureaucrats serving in Ayodhya have wrongfully bought lands in the development area.

Q: Some OBC leaders are demanding a caste census?

Ans: After being voted to power, SP will conduct a caste census within 3 months of the govt formation. The OBC castes will get benefits from the welfare schemes as per their population. So will be the Dalits & minorities.

Q: How do you see the BJP accusing you of promoting “Yadav-vad”?

Ans: Instead, I will say that the outgoing CM promoted Thakurvad. Persons belonging to his caste occupied all key posts. All along the past 5 years, there was caste discrimination at every level against the OBCs, Dalits & minorities.

Q: PM Modi has recently accused Samajwadi Party of doing 'parivarvad' (nepotism) in the name of (fake) 'Samajwad'.

Ans: BJP govt in UP was run by people who do not have a family. Only those who have families can understand the pain of a family. We are proud to have families. During the lockdown, if the outgoing CM had a family, he would have understood the pain of labourers walking miles to reach their home in UP. BJP is raising these irrelevant issues only to divert people’s attention from their failures 5 years ago.

Q: Though the Yogi model of improving law & order has drawn flak by the human rights activists, the common man in UP is happy over the harsh actions against the goonda elements & the Mafiosi.

Ans: Not even the common men are happy. This is because the law & order situation has worsened in the past 5 years. Businessman Manish Gupta was killed in a Gorakhpur hotel last September. People blame the police for the custodial death of Rahul (17) in Lakhimpur Kheri in January 2022. The reality is that UP’s law & order has fast deteriorated in the past 5 years. Besides, the Yogi govt has been selective in taking action against the criminal elements. Persons belonging to a certain caste and a community have been targeted. But police took no action against the illegally acquired property of criminals in several districts because they belong to the CM’s caste.

Q: BJP is accusing SP of giving tickets to rioters and criminals.

Ans: BJP wants to divert public attention from the real issues like price rise, unemployment, farmers’ problems and mishandling of the pandemic. When we raise these issues in public rallies, there is a roaring response from the people. BJP is alarmed by these. This is why they make wide accusations against us.

Q: There is anger among the people over unemployment & price-rise. Yet, they do not seem to be the main poll issue. Has SP failed to bring the real issues at the centre stage of the campaigning?

Ans: Hitler had only 1 propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels, but BJP’s whole party from top to bottom runs on false propaganda. Whenever we raise the real issues, they bring in some controversial issues to hide their failures. But people of UP are intelligent.

Q: This time, SP – for the first time – has set up a dedicated women’s cell. Is it because women voters across the caste divide this time are impressed by the women-centric welfare schemes of Modi-Yogi govts?

Ans:We demonstrated our commitment to women’s safety during our previous 2012-2017 rule. I had sent top officials to New York & Singapore to understand the functioning of their police departments. Subsequently, we created a 1090 helpline number for the women. We also set up Asha Jyoti Centres to help them in case of emergency. But BJP has made a false perception. They are worried over the wide appeal of our thrust on ‘Beti, Behen, Maa’ (daughter, sister and mother) this election.

Q: Do you support the proposal for women’s representation in assembly & parliament?

Ans:If it is party-based, we will welcome it.

Q: Muslims are accusing SP of wanting Muslim votes without giving adequate representation to them.

Ans:SP does not look at the caste or the community of the candidates. Our sole agenda is to defeat BJP which has done excesses particularly on Dalits, backward classes & minorities. I am in touch with every caste & community. Irrespective of their social identities, they are with us to defeat BJP.

Q: SP fought the 2019 general election in alliance with BSP. Why similar alliance was not formed this time?

Ans:On its part, SP wanted to continue the alliance. But BSP supremo Mayawati refused for some political reason.

Q: BSP has fielded 40 Muslim candidates in the 109 Muslim-thick seats in western UP. Do you foresee a section of Muslims going to BSP?

Ans:BSP has twice formed the govt in UP in coalition with BJP. The tacit understanding of BSP with BJP is a known fact. Even in the Zila panchayat elections, BSP connived with BJP to defeat SP candidates. It is the same strategy in this election too. But the people are intelligent enough to see through the real agenda of BSP.

Q: Congress has withdrawn from the seats contested by you & your uncle Shivpal Yadav. Does this gesture indicate a possible SP-Congress alliance after the election?

Ans:I thank Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for this noble gesture. But our experience of alliance with bigger parties has not been encouraging. Instead of benefiting us, it harmed us. This time SP has allied with smaller parties. Together we will win a clear majority on its own.

Q: RLD has a long record of changing the ally after the election. How sure are you about the post-poll stand of RLD?

Ans:After home minister Amit Shah publicly invited him to ally with BJP pre-poll, RLD president Jayant Chaudhary has ruled out even post-poll alliance with BJP. Jayant Ji has instead advised Amit Shah to send the invitation first to the family members of those 700 farmers who died during farmers’ agitation.

Q: When the 3 farm laws have already been repealed, why SP is raising this issue?

Ans:BJP was worried over farmers not allowing their leaders to enter the villages. Under pressure, the Centre repealed the farm laws. But the Centre can bring back the farm laws once the elections are over. Farmers are aware of this fact.

Q: If the SP-led alliance wins this election, will RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary be the deputy CM? Swami Pd Maurya – who joined SP after quitting BJP – is also said to be hopeful of the Deputy CM post.

Ans:Jayant Chaudhary & Swami Pd Maurya are popular mass-based leaders. They will surely be given a place of high honour in the upcoming SP-led govt.

Q: If the SP+ alliance falls short of the number, will it post-poll ally with BSP to keep BJP away from power?

Ans:SP+ alliance will register a landslide win in this election.

Q: Amid talks of forming the Third Front ahead of the 2024 general election, West Bengal CM & TMC chief Mamata Banerjee recently address a virtual rally with you. If SP wins this election, will it lead the proposed Third Front at the Centre?

Ans:Other secular leaders will also be coming to UP to announce their support to SP. By extending support to SP in UP, these leaders are reflecting the generic sentiment of the people across India to unseat BJP from power first in Lucknow in 2022 and then in Delhi in 2024.