Interview with Samajwadi Party’s scion Akhilesh Yadav for Teekhi Baat on IBN7 Hello! I am Prabhu Chawla and our guest for today on Teekhi Baat is UP’s likely future chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, did I say right or wrong?
AY: No, it is not so.
PC: No
AY: The whole party wants Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) to become Chief Minister.
PC: Future (chief minister) means anytime, can even be in 2025
AY: Now Netaji will become chief minister.
PC: That will happen, got may give him long life and good health, but future (chief minister) is you
AY: What will happen in future, nobody knows.
PC: What do you think Akhilesh, five rounds are over, what do you feel about the wrestling between you and Congress is having adverse effects on both of you. Both are getting angry, somebody is tearing clothes, some are tearing papers.
AY: Please see, Congress is getting angry because the public has rejected them, and hence the cabinet ministers are giving threats. And in a democracy, if anybody gives threats, then in a democracy, public will answer. At this time, the ones who are getting angry are those whose belief is gone.
PC: Are the shocked
AY: They are shocked, they are sad, and the question is they are not getting support of the people.
PC: The question is that two ‘Yuvraj’ are fighting elections here, one is Rahul Gandhi, and Akhilesh Yadav. They are in aggression because they have more confidence than you.
AY: No they are angry, because their anger did not turn into hard work, their anger is only remained that, anger.
PC: Why are they getting angry?
AY: They are getting angry, because the achievement that they have been touting, and saying that they will change Uttar Pradesh, demanding details of work done in 22 years, then they have to give details of work done in 40 years after getting independence. And in the past eight years, the kind of corruption that has happened, the corruption in 2G is such that we are not able to explain it to poor people. We would want to explain farmers that Congress has done such big corruption in 2G,
PC: These are old issues, forget them, 2G is old issue, now what Rahul Gandhi has started in elections, talk about development, after that he is speaking with such anger because the condition of Pradesh has turned very bad.
AY: No, he is getting angry because nobody is working in the party, the people are not seen in the organization, and hence he is angry on his party. But he is reflecting that anger on somebody else, they put ‘anger’ on their manifesto, and when faced with reality, he tore the list of his own senior leaders. Now their leaders would have understood how much they are respected. When the list of their names is being torn apart, and in a democracy, the most important thing is manifesto. And every party places its manifesto before the public. If the public rejects, doesn’t like, doesn’t give vote, how can one party make our decision theirs. The other party is taking decisions.
PC: The campaign of Rahul Gandhi which ran in the past one year, with what view do you look at it, are you getting worried or no.
AY: I am not worried because of that, and was not worried when we lost elections in Faridabad, and whatever work they did, the public is intelligent, they are asking them questions, that in the end what did you do?
PC: Your fight is with Rahul Gandhi or Mayawati.
AY: Out first fight is to see that the Mayawati government goes out, the chief minister of Bahujan Samaj Party goes out, because they have ruined Uttar Pradesh, have put stone statues. And the second fight is with the Congress because, because Congress allowed everything to be ruined. If stone statues have been erected in Uttar Pradesh, in Noida so much money was spent on stone statues, then Congress is also responsible. And our third fight is to stop the BJP, and somewhere we have succeeded in that, we have stopped BJP, and we will be successful in displacing BSP.
PC: You stopped BJP from coming in the centre; in UP they won 50 seats, but the Congress party tells everytime that they will not support you, will not support your government, one central minister said that they will enforce President’s rule if their government doesn’t come, then why are you behind them
AY: We are not behind them, if the Congress feels that their government is running fine, then they should refuse and say that they don’t need the support of Samajwadi Party.
PC: No but you have supported them without any demand.
AY: Netaji has given support only because, there was talk in between, and we supported because we want to keep BJP out.
PC: How can a BJP form government, there have got 110 MP’s remaining, how can a government be formed with 110 MP’s.
AY: We have given support only to stop the BJP. And that is why are running the Congress government this time.
PC: You don’t want mid term polls this time.
AY: Elections should not happen earlier, and the biggest issue is that the BJP should not get ahead. To stop BJP, Samajwadi party has given support to Congress.
PC: Why am saying that in UP you will go with Congress, because in Centre you are with them, in UP they are attacking you.
AY: In UP I understand that the Congress would not be needed, or any other party, because the people will somewhere give majority to Samajwadi party. And because of this majority, the opposition is in a state of shock.
PC: If you think you will get majority, like you are saying, then you will not need Congress, any other party, then you don’t have to stop the BJP, because then it will be your wish in parliamentary elections in 2014, then would you withdraw your support to the Congress.
AY: Now what will be decided, on the issue if supporting, not supporting central government is being decided by Netaji. And the national party will decide, but talking of taking or giving support in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party will from a government with majority. What will happen in future, decisions regarding that will be taken in future.
PC: Congress is saying that they will not support you. You are not saying that you will not take their support.
AY: That, Congress will change when, don’t know, but Samajwadi Party is getting full support, Samajwadi Party will form a majority government.
PC: That is agreed,but if you don’t get majority, then will you ask Congress’s support or no?
AY: At the moment it is not right to say so, but we have confidence that people will give majority to Samajwadi Party.
And if gives majority, we will not need anybody.
PC: That is the difference between Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh, Rahul Gandhi says it loudly that he will not do, (support, alliance), and you say that you will think, then take decision. That means you are depending on Congress.
AY: Our party is nowhere dependent on the Congress,
PC: Why don’t you say that you will not take support, you will sit in opposition.
AY: I am saying that we will get majority, we won’t need Congress.
PC: No, this is imaginary, I am talking of another imagination, if you don’t get majority then what will you do?
AY: No, till now according to our estimates, Samajwadi Party will get enough seats so that it does not need the Congress.
PC: How many seats will you get.
AY: According to our understanding, around 207 to 260.
PC: From 207 to 260, how many will Congress get.
AY: Congress may get at the most under 40.
PC: Will not get above 40
AY: Will not get above 40
PC: Then what will you say, that the Rahul Gandhiji’s magic didn’t work there.
AY: I understanding that the hard work and efforts he took, that was unsuccessful, because among public, somewhere his achievements seemed far away. He assured people that they would not allow MNREGA funds would not be siphoned off, he assured that he will let central schemes be implemented, at last they were not implemented in Uttar Pradesh, CBI is investigating, he is getting angry.
PC: What do you think, is the public not believing on the promises, talks made by Rahul Gandhi.
AY: None of his promises were fulfilled, I read in newspapers, in the dalit families that he ate food with, when those women were asked by journalists, and were printed in newspapers, they were also sad, they said that wherever, whatever promises were made, were not fulfilled. In the same way, in Bharaij the family that he ate food with said the same thing, they said that the promises made and the talks done were not fulfilled.
PC: If Rahul Gandhi’s campaign is to be stated in one line, what will you say, fail, pass, second class, third class.
AY: He did efforts, and in politics efforts are done, and those efforts I think are not complete.
PC: If he would have been the chief ministerial candidate then?
AY: That is his choice.
PC: I would have been better?
AY: It would have been more better I think,
PC: Then he would have had a better fight with you
AY: It would have been better, his competition should be done with Mayawatiji, I have no objections to that.
PC: But the claimant to the chief ministers post is your party.
AY: I want he should be compared with Chief Minister Mayawatiji.
PC: It should not be done with Netaji
AY: Should not be compared with Netaji, because Netaji is a senior leader, and when the newspaper people are comparing with me, then there is no need of comparisons with Netaji.
PC: No people are being told that giving vote to Samajwadi Party means getting goonda raj back, Congress people are saying this, even Mayawati is saying the same, then what do you think about the Goonda Raj issue raised, is it going to affect your party or no. Like earlier, when there was goonda raj, people voted you out.
AY: It is true that there were some incidents for which Samajwadi Party had to answer. And somewhere a lot many questions were raised against Samajwadi Party.
PC: That is why the people made you loose
AY: The people gave us punishment, which happens in a democracy. But in the past five years, the public will not be able to raise any question stating that Samajwadi Party people have engaged in any hooliganism, or insulted anyone anywhere in any manner. Hence, there have been efforts in the past five years, that by any means, Samajwadi Party should look a party, and people like these, whose image is bad somewhere, and do hooliganism they should be removed.
PC: But even now 20 -25 such people are there in your party who have criminal cases against them.
AY: Some because there are political cases in which the sections have been changed,
PC: There are dacoity charges, charges like these
AY: These have been leveled by the Bahujan Samaj Party. The andolans that have happened in the past five years, an the struggle done by the party, and such charges were leveled against all leaders of our party.
PC: Defectors, all of them came to you
AY: Not many have come
PC: two – four have come but you took them
AY: Because efforts have started, I can assure that if the public gives in opportunity to Samajwadi Party, then there will be no question of goonda-raj or hooliganism. Anybody who breaks law and order or take law into their hands, action would be taken against them, even if he is Samajwadi Party’s worker or leader.
PC: Many times it seems because even now you have soft attitude to Congress which can be seen in your speeches, don’t you think that an alliance with them would have been better,
AY: Alliance is not possible because
PC: You have an alliance from the mind
AY: Alliance cannot happen because Uttar Pradesh has been devastated due to the wrong policies of the Congress. Today even Congress is responsible for that.
PC: From 22 years, Congress made Mulayam Singh’s government, after the support to the VP Singh government was withdrawn by Netaji, Congress saved him, but then withdrew support, Congress had betrayed you then.
AY: Situations change in politics, times have changed, today Samajwadi Party is strong, can form government on its own.
PC: You could have entered into an alliance, it would have been good.
AY: Alliance was not possible, before elections no alliance is possible, and now we are working for majority, because don’t know that by depending on somebody we will be able to work for Uttar Pradesh or not,
PC: Alliance was not possible earlier, will not be possible in future.
AY: Our party has its own manifesto, so many schemes we want to implement for farmers. Farmer is in distress, tension, if any work has to be done for them you can do it when you have a majority government.
PC: There can be alliance even at the centre, after winning you would want your ministers at the centre.
AY: Till now there is no such decision of the party to be a part of the government at centre. We are not going to be a part.
PC: Later it may happen
AY: We will not be a part.
PC: Later also you wouldn’t
AY: I understand that the Congress party wouldn’t ever agree to Samajwadi Party being a part.
PC: They are not ready, but you are ready
AY: No, we are also not ready, we are only extending support because, BJP should be far. If today we give support then we will have to give answer for the question of inflation.
PC: Let me ask a question, all the chief minister, non BJP ones, have taken up a stand against the central government, that the center is taking all the powers of the state government. Mulayam Singhji has not spoken much on that till now, will you be a part of this club, they are all against the BJP, Mamtaji, Navin Patnaik, Jaylalitha, they are all against BJP
AY: If anybody interferes with the state government, and the things that come under its jurisdiction, if anybody forces things, then it is natural that every state,
PC: I want an answer in one line from you, which is why I am doing Teekhi Baat with you, that if you come to power, then will you join these chief ministers, they are not BJP chief ministers.
AY: Please see, now elections are going on, we have not paid much attention to that as of now, but if anybody is interfering in Uttar Pradesh, then certainly issue would have to be raised against that. For example, on the issue of VAT, Uttar Pradesh did not allow VAT to be implemented.
PC: Like you opposed on the issue of Lokpal,
AY: We had not allowed VAT to be implemented.
PC: When Lokpal comes in Rajya Sabha, then also would you oppose
AY: We will oppose Lokpal, because corruption is not going to go away due to Lokpal.
PC: Hence you will oppose Lokpal.
AY: The party had opposed Lokpal. Because we want such a law should be made, which should be strict, because of which corruption can be stopped. That is why, we were against Lokpal.
PC: Now the issue that are coming, will you have cases registered against Mayawati.
A Y: No cases will run, only how Uttar Pradesh should be developed, how good roads be made, how arrangement of electricity be done, with what ways law and order be improved, if due to use of technology police stations can be improved, some facilities be given to police, and the towns which are growing, in those if an environment of security is crated,
PC: Hence your agenda is very clear because you are working president in the state, it will not be the government of a family, all Yadavs.
AY: It will not be government of a family because nobody is fighting elections.
PC: Uncles, and relatives
AY: No, except for my Uncle, nobody is fighting elections. Only one member of the party is fighting elections this time, except for uncle, no one is fighting elections.
PC: You removed spokesperson Mohan Prakash recently, who was a senior man
AY: No, he has not been removed, when the issue of removing DP Yadav was came forth, then party took a decision that such people should not be in the party, the image of the party will go bad, we are trying to not let such people come in the party, somewhere that issue went ahead.
PC: He is an old timer
AY: I have full respect of respected Mohansinghji even today.
PC: Will you restore him again as spokesperson.
AY: Certainly, lets see what happens in coming times, he might get a bigger responsibility too.
PC: Tell me, earlier in UP, election commission showed a lot of strictness, in the past few days, election commission is seen nowhere, neither any cash is recovered, no anybody is being banned, Ministers speaking one after the other, one time somebody abuses, then say that we have said nothing, you have kept silence on this issue.
AY: Our party has made complaints, when a minister said that President’s rule will be imposed, we said that it is a violation of the code of conduct. We complained to the elections commission, I think that the election commission will issue notice.
PC: Don’t you think that the election commission was unsuccessful in the past few days, it is seeming weak to you.
AY: Now not being able to seize money, money should have been seized earlier by the election commission,
PC: Now what the three ministers have done,
AY: It should be strict, we have complained
PC: I want to ask doesn’t it seem that the election commission actions seem loose and weak since a past few days,
AY: I think that the election commission should have taken action against these ministers who gave such statements,
PC: If that has not been done, isn’t it the fault of the election commission, weakness of theirs
AY: If they don’t do it, or do it late, even then it will be understood as weakness.
PC: What have they done till now
AY: They have given notice
PC: Gave notice, then would be forgiven, take Salman Khurshid’s case
AY: It means that is a weakness of the election commission. I think that the election commission has got the required powers, laws, they can comment on anybody, ban, I understand that they should have taken action against the cabinet minister.
PC: Hence you think action should be taken
AY: Action should be taken. Because one minister said, then other one said, then the third minister also said, hence somewhere, or they are doing purposely. They have protection from somewhere.
PC: It means that there will be protection of the election commission
AY: Someone’s protection, I think that the they should be dealt with strictly, anybody who violates, action must be taken against him.
PC: Thank you for coming to our studio
AY: Thank you, Prabhuji !