Former Union Minister R.P.N. Singh, who recently joined the BJP, speaks to Nistula Hebbar on the party’s poll prospects in the crucial Poorvanchal belt of Uttar Pradesh…..
You have been a former MLA from the area, an MP, this particular election, especially in Eastern U.P. is set to hinge on the pichda (backward) vote or the non–Yadav OBCs, who went with the BJP in 2017. How do you see your role?
I can only say it’s a misconception that these communities are not with the BJP. I can clearly see that not only are they with the party but with me joining the BJP it is very clear that their interest is in voting for the BJP and in huge numbers. The only thing is that these communities are not very vocal in expressing their opinion at least in these parts, but I have found that there is no such disenchantment with the party which is being alluded to. In the beginning the tickets are announced, in all parties, we see a bit of movement and resentment, but as the election has progressed I have seen everyone, including those denied tickets, pull together for the party.
Mr. Swamy Prasad Maurya has been vocal saying this is not a “80:20” election (communally polarised) but a “85:15” poll (between forwards and backwards). It seemed that your entering the BJP was to offset his leaving.
Look, to be very clear, after joining the BJP, I have seen that MLAs and MPs etc don’t count. The party is winning on the back of its organisational mobilisation and the work done by Prime Minister Modi and his last mile connect with the poorest of the poor. He [Mr. Swamy Prasad Maurya] was also elected the last time because he was in the BJP.
But he had been a Minister in the Mayawati government in the past, so how is his victory connected to one party?
He has always tried to switch sides with an eye to the main chance but this time he has got the direction of the wind wrong.
What is the assignment that you have got after joining the party, since you are not contesting Padrauna.
My primary work is to campaign as a worker, wherever the party has asked me to, to ensure the victory of the party’s candidates.
When you say MPs and MLAs don’t count, this has been seen as a negative for the BJP, especially during the second wave of COVID–19, when local MLAs and MPs found themselves ignored by the administration, and some of them publicly writing to Chief Mminister Yogi Adityanath. This has built up anti-incumbency against MLAs.
Everybody, be it MPs, MLAs, BJP cadre and many civil society outfits tried to pull together to deal with the situation, but this is a once in a century pandemic and the administration was under tremendous pressure. Having said that, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is possibly the only Chief Minister who visited every major hospital and all mandals to ensure that relief was available to the people and the management of the pandemic in Uttar Pradesh.
