Q. Half-way through the assembly election, what do you see as the main electoral issues?
YOGI ADITYANATH: The main issue in UP is security, the rule of law. Who can guarantee security to every person, provide a riot- and fear-free environment, freedom from all kinds of hooliganism and anarchy? The double-engine government of the Bharatiya Janata Party has created an environment in the state where every person feels safe and protected. Freedom is guaranteed, every person is respected and it is linked to the welfare schemes of the government. I am happy that we have been able to serve the people under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
AKHILESH YADAV: The double-engine sarkar will be derailed this time; people will not let them win. In the past five years, the Yogi government promised so much, but did not deliver. They promised 70 lakh jobs they could not deliver, they had investor meets, but nothing came to the state. The real issue is unemployment among the youth. Farmers’ distress is another—the Yogi government promised their incomes would be doubled but could not ensure it. See how prices have risen too. And they talk of law and order. In Lucknow, a woman constable was kidnapped and killed but they found the body only after two days. Another IPS officer is absconding. There are so many other incidents. My track record was better. Look at the statistics.
Q. How strong is the caste factor in this election?
YOGI: It has no role. The people know that the biggest obstacles in the development of Uttar Pradesh are casteism, parivarvaad (nepotism) and corruption. The Opposition formed a Grand Alliance in 2019. People gave the BJP 62 of the 80 seats. Janata Janardan voted on the issue of nationalism, development and good governance in 2014, 2017 and 2019. The public will vote the same way for the BJP in 2022 as we believe in ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’.
AKHILESH: It always does play a role. This time, we have built an alliance in which all caste and communities are participating. I have given place to every one of them and have respected everyone. We have distributed tickets in such a way that all caste and communities are included. We are focusing on vikas, not caste. If Babaji (Yogi) is talking of parivarvaad, then what about Jyotiraditya Scindia and his sisters? What about Rajnath Singh and his son?
Q. What did you achieve as CM and what are your plans for 2.0?
YOGI: I have changed the country’s and the world’s perception about UP in five years. Before 2017, people believed UP had riots, an atmosphere of fear, anarchy, hooliganism, its youth were facing an identity crisis. UP has changed that perception in five years. Today, UP is thinking in terms of development, UP is thinking about welfare schemes. UP has become a progressive state, its economy is in a very good position. Earlier, it was considered the sixth or seventh largest economy in the country, today it is the second largest. We were ranked 14th in Ease of Doing Business; in the past five years, we have climbed up to second place. We will make UP the number one economy in the coming five years. For this, we need a double-engine government.
AKHILESH: People still remember the work we did in infrastructure. We built world-class expressways, metros, universities, training institutes and hospitals. We brought in the best police reform system. BJP is only cutting ribbons on projects we started in my tenure as CM. People feel confident about the work we did earlier and that we will continue to serve them if we win. My wish is to build for the next generation. They have dreams and we must help them fulfil them. If they have nothing, then what is our future? I will work at double the speed and triple the economy of the state.
Q. How do you view your opponent?
YOGI: Akhileshji does not know anything about the country and the world. He wakes up at 12 noon, gets ready by 2 pm. After that, some scholar comes and explains things to him. They utter three or four things by rote and then their routine is done. Not much good can be expected from him. He was rated as the most nikamma (useless) CM. Today, UP has a CM who is rated as number one in the country. That’s the difference between us.
AKHILESH: We have seen that when a child fails, his parents go to the school to convince the authorities to pass him. That is what the PM is trying to do, as also all the talk of double-engine sarkar. Baba mukhyamantri has been an utter failure.
Q. Who will win the polls?
YOGI: We have once again set a target of 300+ and I am 100 per cent sure we will cross it.
AKHILESH: UP has always given absolute majorities in the past elections and this time we will get one again.