MP CM Mohan Yadav: ‘Congress in decline, so if someone jumps ship, we welcome them keeping BJP ideology intact’

*The investors’ summits have been held in the state for over two decades. What is new this year?

It is true that our place on the industrial map and contribution to the country’s GDP was not good. But in the last 15-20 years we have improved. It is true that we are still known as an agriculture-based economy but the state cannot develop without industrial growth. A phase of disappointment will come sooner or later if we do not do it.

We have “kshamta (capacity)”, “yogyata (qualification)” and “sambhavna (possibility)”. I am happy that we are witnessing good results since we have started working on these aspects.

*Good results, like?

Since I took oath (as CM), we have been holding investors’ summits every month. We are not taking it as mere karmkand (ritual) and are focusing on actual work. Since I started focusing on actual work, officials also started taking interest. The political atmosphere is conducive for it (industrial growth) as we have shown ease of doing business on the ground. We have made it a strict single-window system where disposal of work is time-bound.

For the upcoming summit, we got more than 30,000 applications while 18,000 delegates have been registered. I travelled to some countries with our officials to attract investments and found that cheap land, availability of skilled labour and excellent law and order conditions are some things that the investors are looking for.

*If earlier summits were merely “karmkand”, what is the difference this time?

There is a difference. It does not work if we do only an event every one or two years for only certain types of industries. We need to hold events on a regular basis and we have done that.

Moreover, we are not holding them only in one city (Indore) as we consider every region, be it Bundelkhand, Mahakaushal, Baghelkhand, Vindhya or any other region, crucial to us. This is the reason we held industry conclaves in every region and “sambhag (zone)”. The results have been encouraging as investments to the tune of Rs 4 lakh crore have been proposed in the conclaves. Now, we are going to hold a global summit, which for the first time is being held in the state capital (Bhopal).

*Was there any study conducted on the impact of earlier summits held before you became CM?

I do not want to go into these details. Everyone has contributed as per their capacity. Our state is witnessing development in all sectors, particularly since 2003 when the BJP formed a government in Madhya Pradesh.

We now have 30 medical colleges as against seven in 2003. We have progressed in every sector and are constantly developing good infrastructure.

*Investors prefer only big cities and do not go to underdeveloped regions. What has been your experience?

We are working very fast. As soon as the MoU is signed, we try to follow up and do “bhumi pujan (foundation stone laying event)” as soon as possible and “lokarpan (inauguration)”.

For instance, when you go to Jabalpur, you will find textile units being set up. You will find our MPs, MLAs and officials working towards our goal. We keep track of the commitments made by the investors.

*You were the higher education minister before becoming the CM. The recruitment machinery of the state has been highly discredited due to the VYAPAM scam. What reforms have you initiated to restore its credibility?

We are working on that and have a decentralised recruitment system. Recently, we asked the state police to conduct recruitments on their own. We have made it easy. We also discussed holding a common test and holding recruitment sector wise.

We are serious about this issue. We are recruiting nearly 1 lakh people every year and over the five years of my tenure, we are going to recruit 2.5 lakh people for government jobs. We are all for transparency, merit and elimination of corruption. We take strict action when we notice corruption but government jobs are not everything. That is why we are focusing on industry and investment.

*Hardly any MP university features among the list of top institutions. Don’t you think it is a bad situation for a large state having many educational institutions?

Our state was very poor in terms of Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) but now we are better than the national average. Madhya Pradesh was the first state to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) formulated by the Narendra Modi government.

We have initiated many reforms. My government has opened 55 colleges of excellence, which are all state government-run. These would become role models in the coming years. We want quality and employment-oriented education.

*You say you are a first-generation politician. The BJP has even third-generation politicians in Madhya Pradesh, including many dynasts from other parties. PM Modi said he would bring 1 lakh first-generation youth into politics. How easy would it be?

It is very easy. In a village or city, there are people who originally hail from the place and there are people who have migrated and settled down there. We need proper planning to settle all types of people and we are used to doing it…

The Congress is in decline and if someone comes to join us, we should of course welcome them. We are inclusive but work in a way that the BJP’s ideology and its karya paddhati (working style) remains intact.

*The state has witnessed a conflict between the BJP and the RSS on many issues. How do you coordinate with the RSS here?

Every organisation affiliated with the RSS works on its own and according to their nationalistic ideology. The RSS does its work and we do ours. No one interferes in each others’ work. Everyone has limitations but we work in “parivar bhav (family spirit)”.

*The “parivar bhav” seems to be missing within your Cabinet as some ministers skip meetings on crucial issues. Is there an ego problem?

There is nothing like that. Everyone is cooperating with us and we are working unitedly. “Puri ekjutta ke saath kaam kar rahe hain (We are working cohesively)”.

*As you are preparing for Simhastha (Kumbh) 2028 in Ujjain, you may have read the statements of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and RJD chief Lalu Yadav on the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj…

They are doing this to woo their vote banks and discredit Hindu dharma. Kumbh is a matter of faith and commenting against it is very bad. If they do not have aastha (faith), it does not matter but they should not show anastha (unfaith). They are playing with the sentiments of those who have faith.

*Your community (Yadavs) is largely seen as anti-BJP in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. You travelled extensively to these states during the Lok Sabha polls. Did your efforts have any impact there?

It is not correct to say I visited these states to woo a particular community. I was there with the BJP’s agenda. But it is true that gradually the Yadavs are feeling that connecting with the BJP would be in their interest. They should see that the party has made an ordinary worker like me the CM of a big state like Madhya Pradesh.

We are with Modi ji’s motto of “sabka saath, sabka vikas”. Unlike many other parties, we are not working for a family.

*There is a long-pending demand to increase reservations for OBCs in MP to 27%. The BJP has also promised it…

Our party is committed to provide 27% reservation for OBCs. The matter is in court but I have had several meetings on the issue and we have made our views clear before the court. I hope it will be sorted soon. We are not like the Congress which says something in public and does something else behind closed doors.