Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot

When the 2008 recession shattered economies around the world, UPA gave a stimulus to strengthen the economy. Nyay is also a stimulus, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot tells Subodh Ghildiyal in an interview. Excerpts:

I-T raids on political leaders have triggered outrage among the opposition but PM Narendra Modi has alleged that raids have unearthed the opposition’s corruption.

Look at how BJP offices have been constructed all over the country, right down to the block level, and the way BJP is campaigning. Where is all the money coming from? Actually, BJP offices have become hubs of creating black money. ‘Notebandi’ is the biggest scandal of post-independence India. When BJP is ousted from power, there should be a judicial inquiry into ‘notebandi’ and Rafale deal.

But pre-poll surveys suggest it will be a tough election for the opposition?

Narendra Modi will be sent packing on May 23. People have understood their game. From ‘acche din’ to nationalism, the game is to divert people’s attention from the promises they made in 2014. BJP should answer what happened to ‘acche din’ — to bring back black money, create 2 crore jobs a year, inflation etc. People sought answers to these questions and Modi started talking about Ram Mandir, nationalism, Article 370. BJP president Amit Shah and Modi have been thoroughly exposed. There should be issue-based politics but BJP is raising emotive issues. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has blown the bugle and people will give a resounding mandate.

Will Congress’s failure to stitch alliances in key states not hurt it after elections?

We have alliances in states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Bihar. We could not strike an alliance in Uttar Pradesh. There must have been some pressure on them (SP and BSP) before elections. But the postpoll scenario will be different. The atmosphere in the country is anti-BJP. It will gain momentum as the election progresses. Alliances will be formed based on public mood.

Modi is accusing the opposition of ‘negative reaction’ on Pulwama-Balakot. Will it not hurt you?

Pulwama attack resulted from the BJP government’s negligence. So, BJP has resorted to a new game: malign the opposition by accusing them of suspecting the armed forces. Who is suspecting the forces? We are proud of our forces. We defeated Pakistan, Indira Gandhi even divided it to create Bangladesh. But she did not do politics over the armed forces. BJP wants to politicise the forces, the gover nment makes the IAF chief hold press conferences. It is not needed. The country trusts our forces and is proud of them. But BJP is doing politics by putting the forces in front.

Congress is lagging in wooing young voters. Modi, on the contrary, is issuing them special appeals.

The PM should stop misleading the youth by throwing up emotive issues. It will not work this time. Rajiv Gandhi reduced the voting age to 18 years because he trusted the new generation to make critical decisions. But Modi is misleading them. I am sure the young will not fall in the trap laid by BJP, Modi and Shah this time.

BJP has termed as profligate Congress’s Nyay (minimum income guarantee) promise.

BJP is rattled. It has promised Rs 6,000 per year when Rahul Gandhi has promised Rs 6,000 per month. It will be a game changer. People will receive money and they will spend it on goods. It will bring money into circulation and strengthen the economy. It has happened before. When the 2008 recession shattered economies around the world, UPA gave a stimulus to strengthen the economy. Nyay is also a stimulus which will lead to creation of jobs that were destroyed by ‘notebandi’. Industrialists, traders are scared what will happen if BJP wins again.

You have come back to power in Rajasthan which is crucial to Congress’s poll plans.

We won 20-odd LS seats when we came to power in Rajasthan in 2008 and when BJP came to power in 2013, they won all 25 seats. Now, it is Congress’s turn to win in Rajasthan. Congress is moving with ‘Mission 25’. The public response is good.

Modi has for accused Congress for five years of doing nothing in 70 years. Do you think the voters will again repose their faith in the party?

The country trusts Congress. It works on a programme crafted by towering figures like Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Maulana Azad. Since then, we have not diverted from the path shown by them. Under Indira Gandhi, 90,000 Pakistani soldiers were forced to surrender. She sacrificed her life but did not let Khalistan become a reality. Congress has achieved such big milestones.

