UNION HOME MINISTER Rajnath Singh has been mentioned as a likely consensus candidate for prime ministership if the BJP misses the majority mark in the Lok Sabha polls.
A man of measured words, he is known for his ability to take everyone along. The former BJP president has completed 51 election campaign meetings and is confident of hitting a century. In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, Singh says the BJP will win 73 seats in Uttar Pradesh.
He defends the candidature of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur in Bhopal, bats for abrogation of Article 35A of the Constitution saying it has done more harm than good to Jammu and Kashmir and discloses that he did not want the BJP to form a coalition government there in 2015. Excerpts:
The BJP has made a shift from development plank of 2014 to ultranationalism in 2019. Why?
Development and good governance are our election issues even today. But national pride is important for citizens. If our soldiers have done good work, we must appreciate it. To term it ultranationalism is not correct.
Is the mahagathbandhan a worry in Uttar Pradesh?
The Congress is fighting separately so where is the gathbandhan? The SPBSP [Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party] alliance is not credible.
People know that they may or may not be together tomorrow. The BJP's target is winning 73 seats in UP. It should not be 72 but it can definitely be 74.
Priyanka Gandhi's entry in UP can split Hindu votes.
Priyanka has been in politics for some time, working for her family members. She is not a new entrant. As far as Hindu votes are concerned, the Congress can get 2 to 4 per cent of the votes there.
Rahul Gandhi is contesting from two seats this time.
The Congress fears it will lose Amethi. That is why Rahul Gandhi ran away from Amethi.
You, as party president, helped Shatrughan Sinha get BJP ticket in 2014. Now his wife, Poonam Sinha, is your opponent in Lucknow.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 05, 2019 من THE WEEK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 05, 2019 من THE WEEK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
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