The defense minister makes a whirlwind return to his constituency Lucknow from the hot and dusty regions of Andhra Pradesh for a day of lobbying Rajnath Singh confident of substantial growth bjpregistration.In a conversation with Pravin Kumar and Rajiv Srivastava of The Times of India, he accused be opposed to A party that created a poll problem out of thin air and said DRC MP Rahul Gandhi should not flee the Amethi battlefield.
You’ve traveled to these places a lot election, how is the feedback from the grassroots? Are issues like unemployment and inflation being used against the BJP government?
■ Modi (Prime Minister Narendra) has huge appeal. “Satisfied” is a big expression, but what I want to say is that people have a good feeling about the government’s performance over the past 10 years. They are pleased that the country’s status has improved and its respect internationally has increased. Social welfare benefits the grassroots and is pragmatic. The leakage and theft of benefit schemes that were common earlier have come to an end. People are happy about it all.
Now that the three rounds of competition are over, what are the prospects for UP? Will the number increase?
■ Pakka badhenge (will definitely rise). There is no ambiguity.
Did the BJP’s strategic failure lead to protests over candidate selection? Thakur and several other castes are said to be unhappy.
■ These are all made-up stories. Sometimes people say Thakur is unhappy, sometimes it is Brahmins who are unhappy. There is no such thing. Ek do logon ke naraz hone se qaum khilaf nahin hoti hai (The anger of a few people does not reflect the mood of the entire community).
The BJP had earlier devised a strategy of changing candidates to eliminate their anti-incumbency wing. Didn’t see this this time.
■ Tickets will be given only after the site situation has been assessed. There may be anger about some of the choices, but there is a common goal: the country should move forward.
The Congress is using the BJP’s “400 paar” slogan to construct the narrative that an overwhelmingThe majority will be used to amend the constitution.
■ It’s not just a slogan. They (Congress) can’t digest our steady progress toward more than 400 goals. Since Cong doesn’t have any problems, let’s make trouble over nothing.
Rahul Gandhi moved from Amethi to Rae Bareli. What’s your opinion?
■ He should not have left the battlefield. What do you call someone who flees a battlefield?
It is said that the government is not thinking about the middle class.
■ The government is considering the welfare of the entire country. No part of society can be affected. Each section will be developed without regard to caste, creed or religion. Unless everything is developed, our dream of ‘Viksit Bharat’ will not come true.
Opposition parties claim that the BJP leaders are turning the polls into a public talking point after poor performance in two rounds of voting.
■ We will definitely increase our vote tally in the first two rounds and there is no problem of the BJP turning its discourse towards the public. Benefit schemes that reach the grassroots are not based on caste, creed or religion.
As people say most of the BJP voters don’t come out to vote, has the low turnout affected the BJP?
■ Hot weather is one reason. If there was a lack of excitement, it was mainly dissatisfaction among opposition voters. Opposition supporters were desperate. Because they were not able to form a strong alliance as they expected.
What are the prospects of the BJP in the southern states, especially Tamil Nadu and Kerala?
■I have been to Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The party is sure to gain seats in both states. Even in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, we got more seats.
Should the country expect one country, one election, in 2029?
This remains our commitment.
The opposition believes that the attack on the Indian Air Force convoy in Poonch was politically motivated. What’s your opinion?
■ These accusations are baseless. The Opposition should stop making such comments on border security and Army martyrs.
You have said that the autonomous region of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir will become a part of India on its own.
■ Yes. I made a similar statement about two years ago.
Responding to your remarks, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah said that bracelets are not worn in Pakistan.
■ Let him react. I don’t have to say anything about his reaction. I firmly believe that the development work in Jammu and Kashmir has begun and the country is moving forward and people all over the world want that to happen.
You’ve traveled to these places a lot election, how is the feedback from the grassroots? Are issues like unemployment and inflation being used against the BJP government?
■ Modi (Prime Minister Narendra) has huge appeal. “Satisfied” is a big expression, but what I want to say is that people have a good feeling about the government’s performance over the past 10 years. They are pleased that the country’s status has improved and its respect internationally has increased. Social welfare benefits the grassroots and is pragmatic. The leakage and theft of benefit schemes that were common earlier have come to an end. People are happy about it all.
Now that the three rounds of competition are over, what are the prospects for UP? Will the number increase?
■ Pakka badhenge (will definitely rise). There is no ambiguity.
Did the BJP’s strategic failure lead to protests over candidate selection? Thakur and several other castes are said to be unhappy.
■ These are all made-up stories. Sometimes people say Thakur is unhappy, sometimes it is Brahmins who are unhappy. There is no such thing. Ek do logon ke naraz hone se qaum khilaf nahin hoti hai (The anger of a few people does not reflect the mood of the entire community).
The BJP had earlier devised a strategy of changing candidates to eliminate their anti-incumbency wing. Didn’t see this this time.
■ Tickets will be given only after the site situation has been assessed. There may be anger about some of the choices, but there is a common goal: the country should move forward.
The Congress is using the BJP’s “400 paar” slogan to construct the narrative that an overwhelmingThe majority will be used to amend the constitution.
■ It’s not just a slogan. They (Congress) can’t digest our steady progress toward more than 400 goals. Since Cong doesn’t have any problems, let’s make trouble over nothing.
Rahul Gandhi moved from Amethi to Rae Bareli. What’s your opinion?
■ He should not have left the battlefield. What do you call someone who flees a battlefield?
It is said that the government is not thinking about the middle class.
■ The government is considering the welfare of the entire country. No part of society can be affected. Each section will be developed without regard to caste, creed or religion. Unless everything is developed, our dream of ‘Viksit Bharat’ will not come true.
Opposition parties claim that the BJP leaders are turning the polls into a public talking point after poor performance in two rounds of voting.
■ We will definitely increase our vote tally in the first two rounds and there is no problem of the BJP turning its discourse towards the public. Benefit schemes that reach the grassroots are not based on caste, creed or religion.
As people say most of the BJP voters don’t come out to vote, has the low turnout affected the BJP?
■ Hot weather is one reason. If there was a lack of excitement, it was mainly dissatisfaction among opposition voters. Opposition supporters were desperate. Because they were not able to form a strong alliance as they expected.
What are the prospects of the BJP in the southern states, especially Tamil Nadu and Kerala?
■I have been to Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The party is sure to gain seats in both states. Even in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, we got more seats.
Should the country expect one country, one election, in 2029?
This remains our commitment.
The opposition believes that the attack on the Indian Air Force convoy in Poonch was politically motivated. What’s your opinion?
■ These accusations are baseless. The Opposition should stop making such comments on border security and Army martyrs.
You have said that the autonomous region of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir will become a part of India on its own.
■ Yes. I made a similar statement about two years ago.
Responding to your remarks, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah said that bracelets are not worn in Pakistan.
■ Let him react. I don’t have to say anything about his reaction. I firmly believe that the development work in Jammu and Kashmir has begun and the country is moving forward and people all over the world want that to happen.
