Cheif Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said in an interview in Sagar district that he was getting greater suppor... Read More

(This story originally appeared in on Aug 30, 2018)

(This story was originally published in the Economic Times on 30/08/2018.)

In the middle of his nearly two-month long ‘Jan Aashirwaad Yatra’, three-time Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told ET’s Aman Sharma in an interview in Sagar district on Wednesday that he was getting greater support from people than he did in 2008 or 2013. Edited excerpts:

Q1. You are almost half way through your Jan Aashirwaad Yatra. Do you think anti-incumbency is a factor in these polls?

See the response to my yatra yourself. The response of the public is much more than that in 2008 or 2013. Aadhaar aur badha hai (our base has expanded since) and we are getting the blessings and love of people too. Where is anti-incumbency? It is just work and development for which people vote and make you win, and this is how people will choose the next government.

Q2. Are crimes against women a big issue? The Congress has been alleging that women are not safe in any part of the state anymore.

The women and girls of my state know that the work done for their security and empowerment in the state is unprecedented. Beti Laadli Lakshmi, Kanya Vivah Yojana, free books, cycles, 50% reservation for women in panchayats and teaching jobs, electrification in villages… women’s empowerment is a mission for us. It is not just a programme for us. As for women’s security, 13 people in the state (accused of rape) have been given death sentence in record time. It is my solemn promise that all such cases of rape and murder will be fast-tracked – I regularly do monitoring in Bhopal with district magistrates and SSPs (senior superintendents of police) so that investigation in these cases is completed quickly. I have also spoken to the chief justice of our high court and judges in district courts so that justice is dispensed quickly.

Q3. How do you view new state Congress president Kamal Nath ’s recent comments about you?

Now what do I speak of the sanskaar (values) shown by the Congress leaders in the state. The kind of words that have been used, this country will never appreciate them. They called me nalayak (useless), vaishya (prostitute) and (General) Dyer. This kind of language is neither liked by people nor does it fit into the culture of our country. Ab yeh unki baukhlahat hai ki unko lagta hai raaste ka kaanta hai, to gaali do, anargal aarop lagao (This shows the frustration of Congress leaders that they see me as a thorn in their path and are resorting to abusing me and making all sorts of baseless allegations). What is the use of all this?

Q4. Who do you think is the chief ministerial face of the Congress?

Now this you should ask the Congress party… what can I say on this? (laughs). Abhi to amurat hai, koi murti dikhai nahin de rahi (Right now it is all an abstract, there is no complete picture). At different places, there are different statues. At some places, it is written ‘Abki baar, Scindia sarkar (This time, Scindia government). Somewhere it is ‘Kamal Nath sarkar’, somewhere it is ‘Kantilal Bahuria sarkar’ and somewhere it is ‘Ajay Singh sarkar’.

Q5. Does that mean there is no clarity in the Congress?

Ab yahi haal hai (This is the situation pretty much)… (laughs)

Q6. Kamal Nath has said that as MP he brought development to his constituency, Chhindwara, and promised the same model for the entire state…

Kori byaanbaazi se kuchh nahin hota (Mere statements are not enough). The public knows the truth. See the development in the constituency of Sagar only, where we are at present. There has been all-round development. Also, the development (in Chhindwara) has been due to the BJP… koi Kamal Nath ne thode hi kiya hai (development there has not been done by Kamal Nath). There is a big hand of the BJP in the development of Chhindwara too. We opened the medical college in Chhindwara and did countless works of development in that constituency. For 15 years, there has been a BJP government in the state.

Q7. The Congress is said to be trying for a tie-up with the BSP, which has a 6-7% vote share. How will that impact the BJP?

The party which gets the blessings of the people will win. As you can see, people are blessing the BJP and the BJP will win in Madhya Pradesh. The only factor in elections is development and work done for people’s welfare.

Q8. But why is the Congress keen to join hands with the BSP?

Congressi chatpata rahe hain ki kaise kya karke hum jeet jaayen… (Congress leaders are desperately trying all tricks in the book so as to somehow win). There is an utter lack of confidence in the Congress. They have, in fact, no self-confidence at all. Unka mann hi qubool nahin kar pa raha (Even their mind is not accepting that they can win).

Q9. Rahul Gandhi has promised a loan waiver to farmers. Will you do so too?

We are paying full worth of a farmer’s sweat. That is all I say.

Q10. What are your other big promises to the people of the state?

No poor will stay in a kutchha house in the next four years and without a piece of land… every poor person will get a pucca house in the next four years. I have introduced the Sambhal Yojana, under which electricity at just Rs 200 per month is being given to the poor to run four bulbs, two fans and a TV. I have waived pending power bills of the poor. People are showering flowers on me and I will remove all thorns in their path. We are removing poverty like this. Children call me ‘Mama’ (maternal uncle) with love and they have given me this name so I am serving as their guardian and I am building their future. Congress never opened many schools and colleges in the state as it felt if these children get to study, they will come on a par with them, else they will remain uneducated and support the Congress. I have vowed to pay the fees of poor children from school to college to IIMs and IITs. I have opened the state exchequer for the poor children of MP.



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