Picked by the Congress as its campaign committee chief for the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, MP Sanjay Sinh says the mood and conditions in the State favour the return of the party after almost three decades. A member of the royal family of Amethi, Mr. Sinh says the massive crowd in support of Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Varanasi recently is an indication of the acceptance of the party as a serious alternative to the SP, BSP and BJP. As the party kicks starts its campaign with Yatras, meetings and rallies in 66 districts, in two phases, led by Sheila Dikshit its chief ministerial candidate, Mr. Sinh tells The Hindu that the Congress is a "mass-based party" and would form government next year as the masses were with it.
How is the campaign going?
I must ask you how we are doing (laughs). We did bus yatra and Rahul Gandhi's programme in Lucknow. We did the Varanasi road show. The feedback and response we are getting is tremendous.
Are you surprised?
Not surprised. All that UP was glorified for has been lost in the last 27 years. Thousands and lakhs of people working with the chikan industry in Lucknow; what Bhadohi was famous for, the expert hand weaving and carpet-making; we have seen Varanasi with a lot of weavers; brass ware in Morabadad; ithar (perfume) in Kannauj. All these have disappeared, nothing is happening in these sectors. And lakhs of people are unemployed as these have shut down. What we are seeing is advertisements on development in lakhs and crores spent by the government ex-chequer. Meanwhile, 80 percent of the news in the same papers is law and order situation—loot, murder, killings, dabangai, land grabbing and such things. The people are fed up and are looking at the Congress. I am 200 percent sure that come 2017, you will see a Congress-led government.
What alternative does the Congress offer? The problems are well-known...
This year we celebrated the 70th Independence Day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a marathon speech. If you look at the Indian democracy, 60 out of these 70 years, the Indian public believed in the Congress. Whatever is happening today, whatever you see in the name of development, be it of cities, or electricity, big dams, big institutions like AIIMs or IITs, technology hubs, etc are all done by Congress. Whatever Modiji is screaming, this scheme that scheme, is done by the Congress; the schemes are from UPA 1 and UPA II.
You had a good gathering in Varanasi. Why do you think the big crowds don’t replicate into voters?
The Emergency was ridiculed by the countrymen. Indira Gandhi lost the elections in 1977. Then in 1980, how did she come back with a thumping majority? This is the beauty of democracy—that is how the people take decisions. That is how the people will bring the Congress to power today. People are talking that only the Congress is capable of ruling. Congress party is a mass-based party. The masses come, we form government. The masses go and we lose power. This time we will get the public, the masses and we will form government.
You are saying you will be the number one party. You have only 28 seats, that means you will have to make a humongous jump. How will you achieve it realistically?
People are capable of miracles. People had defeated Indira Gandhi. The Congress was wiped out. In 1980, the Janta Party that came with a majority disappeared and the Congress returned. The same thing will happen today.
But who is your Indira Gandhi today?
There is no Indira Gandhi — there is the concept of Congress, that is our Indira Gandhi. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are our Indira Gandhis.
Who will be the chief face of the campaign?
Sonia Gandhi is our chief face. She is our leader. Rahul Gandhi is second-in-command.
But what will be your primary vote puller--Sheila Dikshit’s track record or the appeal of the Gandhis?
Her track record and the utter failure of the parties who have ruled UP for the last 27 year. The public feels only the congress can give it remedy. We represent the common man, we believe in co-existence and empowerment of the whole society.
What signs do we read for a Congress revival?
The response in Varanasi. Sonia Gandhi was supposed to start the road show from the circuit house for a distance but the rally started from the moment she landed in Varanasi. It got stretched. Hindus and Muslims thronged the streets in thousands. Then 84,000 workers came to Lucknow on a phone call [for Rahul Gandhi’s interactive session]. Ours was never a cadre-based party or ever will be. The masses are ready for the Congress. They are rejecting everybody else.
Who is your main opponent?
We are running far ahead of everybody, we cannot see who is chasing us (laughs).
But realistically...
As of today, the SP has been rejected. BSP is collecting money and has no interest in the elections. Our fight is with the BJP, and even they will remain far behind. The BJP led by Narendra Modi, it has made such tall promises but they have not been able to fulfill any. Before elections he was a candidate, now he is a PM, he has to perform now. It is 2.5 years and nothing can be seen. Whatever he said, he has not succeeded in anything.
How are you coordinating with Prashant Kishor's team?
He is only forming the strategy- how to fight the election, what banner to use and such things. The political planning, political concept and strategy is totally done by the Congress party and its leaders. It [division of labour] is just to simplify and for our convenience.
Recently six Congress MLAs rebelled and later joined other parties. One of them {Mohammad Muslim] was from Amethi, which is your area.
So? Even BJP and SP leaders cross-voted. All this is normal ahead of elections, leaders go from one party to another.
But most of these MLAs were Muslims. Does that not give a negative sign to the community?
There will be no negative impact. Such things have been happening in the past and will be so in the future, too. The MLAs cross-voted and were meant to leave the party.
It is been written that a key focus of your strategy is to appease the Brahmins, traditionally your voters, and on that basis connect to the other communities.
We will not view a particular caste differently and put them into a slot and do politics. We believe in complete society, comprising of Thakur, Brahmin, Muslim, Dalits and backward. All these are speculation, imagination and newpaper reports. Based on them, somebody was asking if we are giving 100 tickets (out of 403) to Brahmins. (chuckles). We have not had any discussion on it.
Sheila Dikshit is being projected as an outsider by opponents and also some observers. She has no political link with UP. How will you try to connect her to UP? And, are you projecting her as a Brahmin face?
She has not been made the CM candidate only by considering her as a Brahmin, due to her caste. She was nominated as she is a senior, experienced and successful leader of the party. Her political journey started from UP. The questions raised today, were also raised when she went to Delhi. Despite that she went on win three terms, and did a lot of work and development. She has a home here and is UP’s bahu. This is not the first time she is stepping out her.
The spirit of the Congress cadre has not been that high in the past few years...
Congress is a mass-based party, comes with the mass, goes with the mass.
Then there are much-talked about internal struggles and infighting...
Internal problems existed since the times of Mahatma Gandhi—there were moderates and extremists. There is politics in every family. There will be difference in opinion. But that doesn’t mean we cannot sit together. It happens in ever party. Every election, few people switch from one party to another.
What is the Congress’ stand on the issue of gau raksha? Will you make it an issue?
The things happening in the name of cow and gau raksha are absurd. Modi himself says there must be action against them. The BJP is making it an issue. Our issue is development of UP, real development.
Apart from highlighting the lack of development in UP, what are going to be the major planks of your campaign?
The number one issue as far as 2017 is concerned is protection of the people. People should feel safe to live in the state. The law and order situation is alarming. Loot, arson, theft, murder these kinds of incidents, the police is unfortunately not recording. Even what they are recording is alarming. Development takes place...people will ride the Metro only when they are alive.
But when you talk of the law and order, the BSP presents itself as a stronger alternative...
The SP and BSP are two sides of the same coin. What did the BSP do? They inducted criminals into their party. The criminals roaming the streets are today riding the elephant.
The Congress has announced a candidate, SP has Akhilesh Yadav and the BSP has Mayawati. The BJP is yet to announce anybody. Your thoughts.
They are afraid to enter the field. It means they have no CM candidates.
