‘If BJP cadres not as enthused, it is due to lack of strong Opposition. Whom should they fight’: UP Dy CM

Do you have a number for the Lok Sabha seats the BJP will win in UP?

We will win at least 75, if not all 80.

On the ground, the enthusiasm seen among BJP and RSS workers in all elections in UP since the 2014 Lok Sabha polls seems to be missing.

I did not notice that, but I can understand that this might be because there is no strong Opposition in front of us. So whom should our workers fight? The SP, Congress or BSP, no one has any workers at the grassroots. Our workers have a well-planned system on the ground, with details of booths and voters in their areas. Our slogan is ‘100 mein saath hamara hai, baaki mein bantwara hai. Bantware mein bhi hamara hai (Out of 100, 60 are with us, among the rest, there is division. Even in this division, we have a share)’…

Women from families of even Opposition leaders say they will vote for Modi ji. The call is for a ‘corruption-free’ India.

Do you think your leaders are caught up more in trying to fight the narrative of INDIA parties regarding ‘changes in the Constitution’ and reservations?

It is because they are spreading lies. If we do not clarify, they will keep spreading lies and misleading voters. No one can snatch reservations of SC/STs and OBCs as long as Modi ji is there. Under the Congress, elected state governments were sacked again and again, they imposed Emergency, they resorted to unconstitutional activities a number of times.

Akhilesh ji is now with the Congress, but the fact is that his father Mulayam Singh Yadav ji fought against the Emergency imposed by the Congress.

There seems to be anger among youths over lack of jobs, particularly the frequent leaks of recruitment exam papers.

This is a serious matter, but under the SP government, there were paper leak mafia, copying mafia, recruitment board members were killed. We have given over 6 lakh people jobs. Yes, the police recruitment paper was leaked (earlier this year), but we went to the bottom and traced who were behind the leak. They will be punished as per the law. We are against all types of mafia. We are trying to establish a system so that paper leaks never happen in the future.

There is also anger over the new Agnipath scheme for Army recruitment.

No, no, there is enthusiasm among the youths. Agnipath was much needed for this country. Youths can do wonders. Their future is not dark, there are so many opportunities offered to them once they finish service as Agniveer in the Army.

So you don’t see the need for a review of the Agnipath scheme?

Review ki katai zaroorat nahin hai (There is no need at all for a review). The Agnipath scheme is a game changer. It is a must for the country’s security.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal has said the BJP will replace Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath after the polls.

I can’t understand the Opposition’s concern about it, their agenda behind raising this issue. They are only taking shelter in wrongs and lies. If anyone on any post is changed in our party, will it be decided by the Opposition? Are the Opposition leaders our MLAs? Will they decide it?… They keep spreading such lies, but Yogi ji is here and working and tightening the law and order of the state, and performing everywhere.

Your government said over a year ago that UP would see investments worth over Rs 32 lakh crore. What is the latest on that front?

We said Rs 40 lakh crore. It is regularly being reviewed. We are implementing many of them. There is a single window system in the CM’s office for that. India is becoming a hub of manufacturing and a major part of it will be in UP.

But will those investments be restricted to Noida and Greater Noida, or will they reach backward districts like your Kaushambi as well?

We have proposals for many districts, the entire state. Investments will be seen in many districts.

There seems to be resentment in the BJP ranks over the number of Lok Sabha tickets that have gone to leaders joining from other parties.

The BJP was strong during the time of Kalyan Singh ji. Later, it became a party of 10 Lok Sabha MPs and 50 MLAs. The party became weak and a lot of our leaders went to other parties. After the arrival of Modi ji, everything changed… Because of our strength, a lot of leaders from other parties have come to us. I agree that our workers are often annoyed because of that, but we have assured them that they should not be disappointed, and that we may consider them for other responsibilities during polls for the Assembly and local bodies, and also party positions. We are conscious about ensuring that ‘Har vyakti ke liye kaam, aur har kaam ke liye vyakti (Work for every person, and a person for every job)’.”