Accusing the BJP of polarization in the run-up to the Uttar Pradesh polls, RLD chief Jayant Choudhary on Sunday said the BJP is driving a “one geared car” which is going backwards, and asserted that anti-Muslim rhetoric would work. Don’t because people are fed up with such politics.
Chaudhary, 43, whose party has forged an alliance with the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party, also said that he will not contest the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh and will instead focus on campaigning.
In an interview to PTI, Choudhary said leaders of the ruling BJP in Uttar Pradesh joining the SP-RLD alliance ahead of the polls shows they were peaking at the right time and are an “attractive, viable alternative”. Those who want represent the grassroots level.
The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief expressed confidence that the opposition votes would not be divided, saying it was a direct fight between the SP-RLD alliance and the BJP.
He said, “Not only will the votes of the opposition be divided, but there is a lot of confidence with which I can say that many people who voted for the BJP last time are actually going to go into our alliance with the SP. This is because governance, leadership, And the core issues of development have not been addressed by the present government for more than five years,” Chowdhury said.
Asked about ministers, MLAs and leaders leaving the BJP to join SP and RLD, he said ticket seekers, sitting MLAs and political leaders joining the alliance were an indicator of the support base.
Choudhary said leaving the BJP to join the SP-RLD alliance is a sign of public sentiment and also shows that they were feeling cheated when they were in government. The BJP used to talk about internal party democracy, how it builds its organization and respects its workers and workers, but MLAs in the BJP could not do much work while in power, he said.
“Therefore, there is a lot of resentment in the ranks of the BJP, so now when they get a chance to shift, they are the first to leave,” the RLD leader said.
Asked about polarization in elections and his plan to tackle it, Choudhary said people will see it because voters are very intelligent. “Yes, there have been disruptive, painful incidents in our state in the recent past… People have realized the folly… The fact that riots don’t help anyone is why I think people hate all Want to stay away and poison,” he said.
“If you notice that for example in Mathura, efforts to raise the issue of a ‘temple’ had zero traction at the ground level and not even ten people came out on the streets in support of that call,” Chowdhury said. This is an indicator that people are fed up with the politics of polarization and the simple issues of ‘temple’ and anti-Muslim rhetoric will not work, he said.
Accusing the BJP of polarizing it for the elections, Choudhary said, “It is a geared car that they are driving and it is going backwards.” The RLD chief said that the farmers’ distress would be among the key issues in the elections, which he emphasized is one that is prevalent, deep-rooted, omnipresent and breaks all barriers of caste and religion.
“Farmers today are very upset with the fact that their condition has not improved. Of course, the way the (Agriculture Law) movement against the bills came to the fore, the hard-won victory by the agitators, gave some confidence. It is given. Farmers. This is going to be a big issue in the elections.” Chaudhary said that the second big issue is the problem of the youth as government recruitments are not being done effectively and recruitments are not being done on time. He alleged that the government has failed on the issue of employment.
Choudhary also said that the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and the manner in which the attempt was made to “distort” justice, would be a major issue in the election. “The fact that farmers are being arrested but still (Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra) Teni ji is a minister. It is clear that the government machinery is still favoring those accused who are in favor of BJP.. This is going to be a major issue (in elections),” he said.
He said, “I asked this question on behalf of the BJP. They make statements that ‘we are in favor of farmers and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji did a roll back for farmers, it is a masterstroke. I would ask him’. I’m that ‘forget about prosecuting’ Minister Teni, will you even refuse to give him a ticket in the next election?”
Eight people, including four farmers, were killed during a farmers’ protest at Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence recommended the prosecution of all other accused, including the son of the Union Minister of State for Home, on charges of attempt to murder.
On Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath contesting from Gorakhpur, Choudhary said Adityanath made a surprise journey from Gorakhpur to Lucknow and no one expected it. “Now everyone is expecting him to go back to Gorakhpur,” he said.
When asked about the prospects of the SP-RLD alliance in the polls, Choudhary said, “I am always convinced. We have suffered a lot due to the politics of polarization and we have focused on the real issues which matter to the voters. I hope voters will remember. He and they vote for change.” ,
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