“I have done my political journey following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guru mantra,” says Vinod Sonkar who was sworn in as the MP from Uttar Pradesh for the first time in 2014 when the BJP won the general elections with a sizeable margin, paving way for Modi’s juggernaut in the country.
Vinod Sonkar, who is also BJP’s Tripura in charge, admitted that it was PM Modi’s address during his orientation programme that helped him consolidate the strength on the ground and gave direction to his political journey.
“When I won in 2014, there was an orientation programme in Haryana. The PM told us to focus on our identity as a social leader. He said the political identity is temporary and social identity is permanent. Taking cue from that, I formed the Kaushambi Vikas Parishad (KVP) and designed four programmes, which are organised every year. This has helped me remain in touch with people regularly,” Sonkar told News18.
There are three assemblies in Kaushambi district – Manjhanpur, Sirathu and Chail.
Sonkar said the Kaushmabhi Mahotsava is celebrated on the Parishad’s foundation day and has helped him get schemes from chief minister Yogi Adityanath for his constituency. “I invited the CM and there were a lot of schemes, which were announced by him, and, thus, my parliamentary seat got developed in return. It is now part of Ramayana and Buddh circuit,” said Sonkar.
The Sirathu assembly constituency organises an event that celebrates Veerangana Durga Bhabhi and Chandrashekhar Azad. Another event is organised in Chail where Lord Ram spent his first night of exile, and the fourth one is the ‘Samajik Samrasta Bhoj’, which is organised at Sonkar’s residence in Kaushambi.
“This mantra of PM Modi helped me consolidate the vote base despite the political turmoil in the state. I always stay connected with people, and even my rivals agree to it,” says the BJP MP.
He also recalled his meeting with the PM and how his issues were resolved in no time as he gave him his full attention. “I went to meet the PM and the attention with which he meets you is inspiring. You will think that you will finish your issues in half an hour but they get sorted in minutes. He resolves everything with alacrity and you do not even need to speak about them,” recalls Sonkar.
Sonkar stresses that he has also received a lesson from Modi in discipline. He points out that one don’t see any trash on PM Modi’s table at any meeting. “His table is spick and span. There is not even a single paper on his table. I had gone to meet the PM along with my wife. When I returned, my wife told me that despite me being just an MP, there are papers everywhere and look at how organised the PM was. It was an eye opener for me,” says the MP.
While the PM is all business, he engages with his party workers and advises them on how to live life. “When the PM met me for the first time in 2014, he asked me whether I possess the quality that my name represents — being humorous or not. “Naam ke Vinod ho ya Vinodi ho bhi (Are you funny or is it just the name?) said PM Modi to me,” laughs the MP.
Modi also insists on a person’s well-being. “He would put his hand on your shoulder and you would be overwhelmed that the world’s tallest leader is asking about your well-being. At MPs’ meetings, he asks us to get ourselves checked routinely and not let the communication break at any point of time,” says Sonkar while praising his leader.
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