Arun Jaitley Interview to NewsX – Full Transcript Posted by : India272 Campaign | Category : Blog News X interviewed Mr. Arun Jaitley the leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha about the chances of the BJP in the upcoming assembly elections in the five states – Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Mizoram. On assembly elections Mr. Jaitley was confident that BJP would get to form government in four states baring Mizoram. He said that in MP and Chhattisgarh where BJP is already in power the party has governed well and CMs of both states are very popular with no anti-incumbency feeling. For Rajasthan he said that there was heavy anti-incumbency for the Ghelot government and Vasundhara Raje’s popularity is very high. For Delhi he again feels there is anti-incumbency towards the Sheila Dikshit government as well as the Congress led UPA at the center. Mr. Jaitley was all praises for MP’s CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan and stated that he had tall public image and his welfare schemes are very popular among various sections. He said that a government which is popular at the center may lose a state if the state level issues are ignored. For assembly elections state and national issues both matter. The anti-Congress mood is most visible in Delhi. Warding off answer to CM candidate he said that Delhi is a cosmopolitan crowd and though there are many migrants from UP and Bihar it was not necessary to have a CM candidate who is from Bihar. A key member of the BJP think tank Mr. Jaitley said that key would be to see that in Delhi the anti-incumbency votes do not get divided. He however, felt that since Aam Adami Party (AAP) lacks expertise in working at the booth level it will get few votes but not too many seats in Delhi. He added that AAP’s presence will be seen more in media but not as a party to reckon with as they are new entrants. On Mr. Modi being declared PM candidate for the BJP-led NDA and if he was peaking in too early Mr. Jaitley said that ‘peaking too early’ and ‘late swing’ are media concepts. He added that if a party has a poor start nothing happens on the last day. He said that Mr. Modi has created great impact since his anointment as PM candidate by attracting huge crowds at the rallies. He said that when a face is projected as leader in the party it is done because the leader is more popular than the party. He added that Shivraj Singh Chauhan is more popular in MP than the party same is the situation with Vasundhara Raje in Rajasthan, Raman Singh in Chhattisgarh and Mr. Modi in Gujarat and across India. Also the gap in ratings that Mr. Modi is getting and what next best Congress leader is getting is also huge. Mr. Jaitley said that it is a conscious strategy of the party to use Mr. Modi’s popularity and not play it down. There will be other leaders also who will be campaigning but when a face is chosen to represent the party then the face becomes first among equals too. On BJP’s chances in UP and Bihar Mr. Jaitley feels that the situation is very challenging in both states as the party has come down in UP from winning 58 seats to 10 seats in last two elections. He said that though the latest changes happening in UP politics and Mr. Modi now as PM candidate there is a major shift votes back to the BJP. In Bihar with the conviction of Lalu Prasad Yadav again the votes will be divided and rally in Patna on 27th of October will set the agenda in Bihar. He feels that there will be a huge shift in upper caste and OBC votes in the state for the BJP and also in UP. On pre and post election alliances As per Mr. Jaitley if there is a weak BJP which gets only 130 or 150 seats there will be few allies. If the party is strong it will attract allies which would mean a stronger BJP and stronger NDA. He said that the regional parties which are anti-Congress need to identify with a non-Congress government which is either BJP or third front. Thankfully he added that third front is an idea that has not picked up and it will not be able to take off also till the time BJP is strong. On toilet before temple statement Mr. Jaitley said that it was a slogan given by a spiritual leader from Gujarat Morari Bapu. He added that spiritual leaders used to give donations in Gujarat when the drive to build toilets was started to provide basic facility to the citizens. The statement is torn out of context and shown as shift in ideology whereas, it is only an example given to emphasize the need to provide proper sanitation. Each election has its own momentum and so BJP never makes issues like Ayodhya a part of election agenda but that does not mean there is a shift in the ideology of the party. He added that prime focus today is governance. The huge acceptability of Modi’s image today is a reaction against the lack of governance of the UPA government under Dr. Man Mohan Singh. On minorities Mr. Jaitley said that BJP wants Minorities to judge the party on its performance. In most BJP states there is peace and calm. 2002 riots of Gujarat were an exception to the normal principles of the party and the party was never happy about it. BJP is making conscious effort to connect with the minorities. He added that in Kerala Christians and BJP have cordial relationship same is the case in Goa. In Punjab the relation between BJP and Sikh community is exemplary. He also added that not just Mr. Modi but BJP abhors vote bank politics. He said that the kind of words that are used make the difference in whether it is vote bank politics or in taking. For example what was the need for Home Minister Shinde to ask CMs of all states to check that Muslim youth are not wrongfully detained? He should have said no person should be wrongfully detained. BJP believes that minorities should not be used as instruments to power. On RSS and minorities he said never once has RSS said that BJP should be hostile to the minorities. He said that these are propagandas and that RSS and BJP have the same ideology and that time is right for treating minorities as equal partners. On letter to PM against misuse of investigating agency Mr. Jaitley said that Congress knows very well that it can’t fight BJP and Modi politically and so they are using investigating agency for its gain. They have used it for 2002 riots and other false charges. Though they have not been successful till date he sees the Congress going to any extent to gain an unfair advantage. He also added that it would be suicidal for the Congress to try and harass Mr. Modi any further on false charges but then he would not stop the Congress as Napoleon rightly said that if enemy is trying to commit suicide do not disturb him. On the “Ordinance” Mr. Jaitley said that the President should be given the credit for not accepting it along with the people of India who opposed it too. This made the government change its stand. Rahul Gandhi’s outburst was trying to cut his losses as it happened one and half month after the Congress was getting battering from all sides including president, people, editorial columns, and opposition included. This entire episode only shows that a family is above Congress and UPA government in present times.
Posted on: Wed, 09 Oct 2013 07:43:25 +0000
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