Rajnath Singh: ‘What effect (of Assembly results) on LS polls? Every election is different, issues are different’

The Opposition has accused BJP campaigners of resorting to polarisation. Why is that when the BJP also talks about its government at the Centre bringing in ‘unprecedented’ changes?

This is not correct. We do not even think polarisation can get us votes. We do not do it. We focus on justice and humanity. In my speeches, I certainly have mentioned about the discrimination done by the Ashok Gehlot government in dealing with the victims of crimes. If you (the state government) have assisted the family of a victim of violence from a particular community, you should be doing the same for others too. In the Rajasthan case, the government extended help to one victim who belongs to a particular community while ignoring others. The government should be impartial. They are partial because they want to send out a message of polarisation. Now, communal polarisation has become a significant part of Congress politics. It should not be done.

Some BJP candidates have compared the election to a battle between India and Pakistan…

Who does it? No one talks like that in my meetings. I think law and order issues in Rajasthan and the lack of respect for women are the key issues plaguing the state and I talked about those in my speeches. For me, the dignity of women, good governance and development are the issues.

The welfare schemes announced by the Ashok Gehlot government appear to be popular. In every election rally, BJP leaders asked voters not to get influenced by the ‘magician’.

These schemes are just to reap votes. He had made many commitments in the last elections too, but nothing was fulfilled. He could have implemented many initiatives, which he announced in the last five years, earlier. However, he waited for four-and-a-half years to announce them. Also, the Congress government has failed to set up even a single industrial unit and those which were operational have been shut down. How will the youth get jobs? If you do not set up industries, how will jobs be generated? How will development happen and how will income be generated?

The BJP criticises other parties for announcing schemes, calling them as freebies or ‘revdi’. But your party has been doing the same.

There is a lot of difference between freebies and social empowerment. Our programmes for women, students or farmers help in their social empowerment. These sections want government support for improving their lives. Our initiatives are for that. They are not ‘revdis’. See, many of our initiatives for these sections were announced after we formed the government at the Centre. If our intention was just to get votes, it would not have been the case. Intention or niyat is very important.

The BJP now fights every election banking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image. Do you see an absence of popular faces in states?

Not at all. The BJP does not have a leadership crisis in any state. It is a strategy not to announce a face, but we have a definite plan for the organisation and the government of each state. We will finalise a face once the election is completed… The BJP will not have any issue in choosing its leader after the election.

What about Vasundhara Raje?

No possibility can be ruled out. No leader can be ignored. Anything can happen.

The Opposition has made a nationwide caste census as an election issue. But the BJP still looks confused about it…

We are not against caste census. Let there be one. The BJP has nothing against it. But the BJP, as a party, has taken care of the interests and concerns of every community. We have given constitutional status to the national OBC commission (National Commission for Backward Classes). The intention of the caste census should be clear and clean. But, now the Congress is pushing for a caste census to create a vote bank. We have to see everyone as a citizen of India and should give them their dues. Every section, especially those who were left behind, should be empowered. They all should be part of the development process, that is what we want.

You are going to Telangana too for campaigning. How do you see the BJP’s chances there?

Let the results come. We will see… The Lok Sabha elections will tell you about our strategies there. We should wait for it.

Do you think the outcome of these five Assembly elections will have any impact on the Lok Sabha polls?

What effect? Every election is different and the issues are also different.

Did the Balakot strikes help boost the BJP in the 2019 parliamentary elections? You have been raising the issue of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

Balakot was not meant for elections or the BJP’s electoral prospects… My statement about PoK was about the worsening situation there. It is so bad that unless the Pakistan government takes note of it, people there will. There is already a demand from sections of PoK residents to join India. What I said is based on facts.

The biggest criticism against the BJP government is ‘misuse’ of investigative agencies against the Opposition..

The ED and CBI will keep doing their jobs. Their activities do not have a stamp from our government. They are independent.