Ram Vilas Paswan: ‘Induction of regional parties into Central govt welcome… it changes their outlook’

The biggest thing in this election was that even a poor person in a village thought about the nation, national unity and integrity, and found Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the symbol (of those ideas). Hence, he voted for the local candidate in the name of Modi. Modi remained at the centre of this election.

NDA meetings were not a regular exercise in the last five years. But more than 30 parties of the alliance met on Tuesday and leaders such as you were given special attention. Was it an exercise to show NDA’s unity and strength?

The media has become concerned about this meeting because of the exit poll results (most of which forecast a big NDA victory), and because this is the election period. Otherwise, NDA meetings had been organised in every Parliament session over the last five years. Since the Opposition had called a similar meeting, the media called the NDA meet a show of strength. Had the Opposition not called its meet, the NDA would still have held its meeting.

Are there any apprehensions of a decrease in numbers for the NDA?

No. There is nothing like that.

BJP president Amit Shah recently hinted that more parties can join the NDA after the election results. How do you see that?

Induction of new allies tells about regional aspiration. When a regional party joins a government (at the Centre), then its regional outlook changes to a national outlook. It is good that more allies join a national party (or alliance led by such parties).

JD(U) president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish did not appear comfortable with the BJP’s allies in Tuesday’s meeting. What is your impression?

Nitish-ji has been very comfortable — as he was in yesterday’s meeting. Nitish-ji is not as outspoken as we (some of the other leaders) are, but he is happy (being in NDA) and he worked hard in these elections. Sushil Modi (BJP leader and Bihar Deputy CM) and I were with him during the campaign across (Bihar’s) 40 Lok Sabha constituencies — he put all his strength (in the campaigning).

How do you look at Mamata Banerjee’s politics, and incidents of violence in West Bengal during the elections?

Whatever Mamata Banerjee is doing and speaking…that is inappropriate. She is chief minister of a state and she threatens to arrest the Prime Minister. Everyone should thank the Election Commission because violence did not occur at any other part of the country, excluding West Bengal. The whole country should condemn the violence that occurred in West Bengal.

The Opposition is raising questions on EVMs.

Peene wale ko peene ka bahana chahiye (one who drinks looks for excuses to drink). Their argument is baseless and has no substance. They are making noise only because they see defeat after the exit polls.

The Prime Minister has called the Opposition’s alliance ‘mahamilawati’ (grand mixture). The Opposition has shot back, asking why the NDA should not be called ‘mahamilawat’ because it has more than 30 parties.

If a juice is mixed with another juice, it will not make a toxin (poison). But what will happen if a toxin is mixed with another poisonous substance? They are called so (mahamilawati) because of their (opposition parties’) track record. Did anyone raise issues of corruption and price-rise in the last five years? No. Hence the word mahamilawati was used.