Confident BJP National President Amit Shah in an interview with JUST IN Print spells out BJP-wave, how will it continue, and, the (Narendra) Modi Magic.
After the mid term assembly by elections’ results, many have begun saying Modi-wave’s over. What says you ?
11 crore new voters+ continue BJP-wave. They along with other voters all through the country are continuing to be forces behind the BJP. BJP’s popularity remains, will be consolidated further in coming days. Prime Minister Narendra Modijee’s Prime Minisstership is extremely popular. Masses in the country keenly look towards his Vikas for All, the Country, its rising importance in the whole world. In the party, we communicate all that facts/achievements with the people. They respond fully, spontaneously. As for Mid-Term assembly Elections’ results, BJP lost some seats. True. In the days/months/years coming, it will not be repeated. BJP will be natural choices of the masses all over. Vikas will eliminate ‘narrow’ likes and dislikes like caste, sub-caste, regionalism etc. Vote will be for ModiJee’s Vikas and its persuader, BJP. Masses will display fondness for ModiJee’s “Sabka Vikas, Desh ka Vikas.”
Could the BJP have done something different in the recent bypolls where it did not do as well as expected?
There are two things. In a bypoll, the public doesn’t vote for change. Bypoll se na hi sarkar decide hoti hai na girti hai (governments don’t get formed or fall as a result of bypolls). Bypolls represent the politics of that assembly constituency. But when general elections happen, then who will form the government, who will be the CM, which party will be in power become important issues. What we call public mandate – that is reflected in assembly elections.
What will be the BJP’s calling card in the upcoming assembly elections? Going by the latest set of bypolls, would it be a fair interpretation that the Modi wave has petered out a bit?
First people used to think that there is no Modi wave. But the results proved that the Modi wave was fierce. Now people are saying the Modi wave has petered out a bit. There is a section that speculates about this. When the results for these assembly polls come, then people will get to know how we have swept these states because of the good work of the government.
What are your top short-term and long-term priorities?
In the short term, my priorities are to put together a new team and to ensure the BJP does well in the upcoming assembly elections. I think the good work done by the government has generated immense goodwill and we need to encash it. In the long-term, as I said at our national executive meet, we need to become a bridge between the government and the people. We need to advertise the programmes and initiatives of the government and convey public mood to the government. There are eight states in which the BJP does not have a strong presence and we need to strengthen our organisation there. We also need to conduct training programmes for all the new recruits.
What are your expectations from the upcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Haryana? Many would say anything short of sweeping victories would look like a defeat.
The BJP has not been in power in these states. In Jharkhand, we have in a way been in power, but that was a fragmented mandate. We have never come to power in Jharkhand with an emphatic mandate. We have not been in power for 15 years in Maharashtra and neither do we have a government in Haryana. Even then, I believe, having completed my tours in these three states, I can say emphatically that the BJP will win with a definitive mandate in these three states.
Will you announce CM candidates for the states or will PM Modi be your face?
In all three states we have decided not to announce CM candidates. We have not decided and closer to elections, looking at the situation on the ground, we will decide for these states. It is not necessary that we announce CM candidates in all three states.
Congress has been accused of not projecting regional leaders because they want to project the Gandhis. Don’t you think BJP can be accused of the same thing?
Such an allegation can’t stick because there is team work here. Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari have both been presidents. I am the president now. Shivraj Singh Chauhan is in the parliamentary board now. Unlike the Congress we don’t keep changing our CMs. Our CMs that do good work are supported by the party and the party continues with it. We help strengthen them. So this would be a baseless allegation. Modiji was the CM for four terms – no one disturbed him – so have Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Raman Singh. Even those who lost, like Vasundhara Raje Scindia, we have projected and are strengthening. That’s how you create leaders. Those who are in the process of becoming leaders, the party is supporting and encouraging.
In Maharashtra, will your CM candidate be from the BJP or Shiv Sena?
We haven’t decided on that. Discussions are on at the state level and still to take concrete shape.