Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav speaks to HT on a range of issues, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s alleged failure to fulfil several promises, the BJP’s Hindutva plank, the poll prospects of the INDIA bloc and its promise of a nationwide caste census. Edited excerpts:
In the first two phases of polling, there were a lot of concerns about the turnout in Bihar and many other states. What do you think?
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The BJP is in depression. The first two phases have been very close. In Bihar especially, we are running a campaign on issues like livelihood, employment, education and health care. They (JD-U) talked about Bihar’s special status. So, we have remained focused on real issues. People are now fed up of (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi and BJP’s lies. They gave them 10 years but if you look at the ground reality, there was no work done. So, local issues are more important and have been overpowering in this election. Even the BJP has not put up anything specific in their manifesto that talks about the development of the nation or Bihar.
But what about their trump card of Hindutva and some of the Prime Minister’s speeches attacking the INDIA bloc, especially the Congress, on reservation for Muslims? Do you think this can become a reason for your setback or damage?
I have been repeatedly saying that a majority of the population is Hindu, so the Hindus are most affected by issues like unemployment, poverty and inflation. We already knew that sooner or later, Modi ji would return to the same narrative of mandir-masjid, and Islam-Sanatani. He is making an issue over eating fish.
The people don’t expect a PM to go so low and talk about all these. The people expect a PM to speak about what he has done in 10 years, what’s his new vision, and what he will do in future. They haven’t told us anything. We were expecting that he would talk about Hindu temples and mosques. The majority are suffering. The real issues are high inflation, poverty and unemployment, and the people are supporting this issue-centric narrative.
You must have gone through surveys that highlight real public issues. Record unemployment, which is affecting a lot of people, is the biggest issue right now. The people have seen both the previous and the present BJP governments. The work that has been done, like food security, was brought by the Congress… BJP candidates and MPs have regularly been speaking that by leveraging the majority, they will end the Constitution. This has affected many people who follow and respect the Constitution.
Read more: Interview: Hindus most affected by unemployment, says Tejashwi Yadav
The survey you talked about said that many people are worried that they have no jobs, but when they talk about votes, they (BJP) are still 10 points ahead of you. Especially in Bihar, where arithmetically, two parties (BJP and JD-U) are against you.
If you see the last elections, it didn’t go on arithmetic. In 2020 also, they (BJP and JD-U) were on the same side and you can see the result. Then also the issues were the same – education, health and employment. We still are fighting on the same issues, but the capacity of the JD(U) or the BJP is not as per the last time.
We are the largest party in the state and continue to do well in terms of on-the-ground outreach and response. We are growing every passing day. All said and done, Mr Nitish Kumar was a junior partner in our joint government. The alliance agreed to give him the chief ministerial post because of various factors, and the decision, as you may understand, did not rest on the number of JD(U) seats. In fact, the JD(U) seems to be losing ground. BJP partners have lost their identity and power historically. You may look at any regional party that has tied up with the BJP for proof.
BJP insiders acknowledge that you are popular but how does one get people to vote beyond caste?
We are getting a very good response to our manifesto – Parivartan Patra. Caste is a reality in Indian politics, but it is not the only reality. People assess the parties and leaders beyond the caste equations. Our first commitment is jobs and livelihood. It’s not limited to any particular caste group. Plus, we have our track record to show. The people know that we have delivered well on our jobs and livelihood promises even under difficult circumstances.
Isn’t it an issue that the people vote for Modi’s popularity in the Lok Sabha polls even if they vote for you in the assembly?
I would say the NDA is battling double anti-incumbency. People ask what this so-called double-engine government has done for us in the last decade. This online generation is playing recordings of PM Modi’s boastful speeches from 2014, 2015, 2019 and 2020, and asking him and his party about the broken promises. I am unsure if the PM can come here and face questions from the people of Bihar.
Has the buzz over the caste census gone down?
It was not supposed to create a buzz. Neither do we think it should cause a buzz. It’s a serious and long-term policy measure to aid inclusive and sustainable social and economic justice policy programmes. I want to reiterate that it’s not an election issue for us – it’s a commitment to understand the changing and evolving society and being able to work for the betterment for all sections…
Read more: ‘Who snatched mangalsutra of…’: Tejashwi Yadav attacks Narendra Modi over Pulwama, Covid
Was it announced too early? The BJP has appointed OBC chief ministers, etc…
As I said, it’s not a strategic election-oriented decision. It’s part of our long-term governance plan… it was a proactive decision. We set the tone for the agenda. The others are merely reacting to it.
What do you think happened in Surat (where the BJP candidate was elected unopposed)? Are you worried about a trend like that?
We are worried about the fact that they are trying to end democracy.
The Chandigarh case (mayoral election) and this, how can these be stopped?
The constitutional institutions should take care of such things. We have been raising the issue again and again. But there should be a level playing field also.
I heard you raising issues relating to the Agnipath scheme. Do you think this can be a uniting factor?
The people are suffering and those from Bihar, a majority you know, are in the railways or the army… They know that in four years, half the time will be spent on training. What will they do after four years? There is no pension, no canteen, no status of martyr. They don’t comply with this scheme. The people expect the Opposition to speak against the scheme and so we have done and we will scrap it if we come to power.
Will they (BJP) succeed on the issue over wealth redistribution and inequality? How is it playing out?
There is no issue. It is a useless issue. We should not pay much attention to it.
What is your assessment of the INDIA bloc’s performance?
I am very positive about our prospects. We have put together a very good performance in terms of planning and strategy. I would go so far as to say that we have put the NDA on the defensive, and it shows in their crude and polarising campaign. I hope independent constitutional bodies, like the Election Commission and the judiciary, create a level-playing field for us to compete. The people all across are looking for change.
Two chief ministers are in jail. Is that something weighing on the Opposition leaders’ minds?
As mentioned earlier, the NDA is on a backfoot. They’ve pulled out all stops to go after senior opposition leaders. While it is most unfortunate, it has motivated all of us to fight back unitedly and strongly.
How do you think voters perceive these arrests?
If people’s representatives, including their popular chief ministers, are put behind bars, they are bound to feel disappointed and angry. The Indian voter is a smart voter and, if I may add, a moral voter. It quickly punishes real or perceived attempts to shortchange or insult its aspirations and intelligence.
How do you think Rohini Acharya (his sister fighting her first election) will fare?
She will do very well. She is getting a very good response. The Opposition leaders are attacking her because the graph of her popularity is rising swiftly, but she has dealt with these vicious personal attacks very well. She is very strong personally and politically, and she will win.
