Why. With the assembly elections halfway through, what do you see as the main election issues?
Yogi Adityanath: The main issue in UP is security, rule of law. Who can guarantee security to every person, provide an environment free of riots and fear, free from all kinds of hooliganism and anarchy? The double engine government of Bharatiya Janata Party has created such an environment in the state where every person feels safe and secure. Freedom is guaranteed, every individual is respected and it is linked to the welfare schemes of the government. I am glad that we have been able to serve the people under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Akhilesh Yadav: Double engine government will derail this time; People will not let him win. In the last five years, the Yogi government made many promises, but did not fulfill them. They had promised 70 lakh jobs which they could not deliver, their investor meetings were held, but nothing came to the state. The real issue is unemployment among the youth. Farmers’ distress is another – the Yogi government had promised that their income would be doubled but could not ensure it. You also see how fast the prices have gone up. And they talk about law and order. A woman constable was kidnapped and murdered in Lucknow, but they found the body only two days later. Another IPS officer is absconding. There are many more such incidents. My track record was better. Look at the statistics.
Why. How strong is the caste factor in this election?
Yogi: It has no role. People know that the biggest obstacle in the development of Uttar Pradesh is casteism, familyism and corruption. In 2019, the opposition formed a grand alliance. People gave 62 out of 80 seats to BJP. Janata Janardan voted on the issue of nationalism, development and good governance in 2014, 2017 and 2019. People will vote for BJP in 2022 just as we believe in ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’.
Akhilesh: It always plays a role. This time we have formed an alliance in which all castes and communities are participating. I have given space to each and every one of them and respected them all. We have distributed tickets in such a way that all castes and communities are included in it. We are focusing on development not caste. If Babaji (Yogi) is talking about familyism, then what about Jyotiraditya Scindia and his sisters? What about Rajnath Singh and his son?
Why. What did you achieve as Chief Minister and what are your plans for 2.0?
Yogi: I have changed the perception of the country and the world about UP in five years. Before 2017, people believed that UP was witnessing riots, an atmosphere of fear, anarchy, hooliganism, its youth facing an identity crisis. UP has changed that perception in five years. Today UP is thinking about development, UP is thinking about welfare schemes. UP has become a progressive state, its economy is in very good condition. Earlier it was considered to be the sixth or seventh largest economy of the country, today it is the second largest. We were ranked 14th in the Ease of Doing Business; In the last five years, we have reached the second position. We will make UP the number one economy in the coming five years. For this we need a double engine government.
Akhilesh: People still remember the work we did in infrastructure. We built world class expressways, metros, universities, training institutes and hospitals. We brought in the best police reform system. BJP is cutting ribbon only on those projects which we started during our tenure as Chief Minister. People have faith in what we’ve done before and we’ll continue to serve them if we win. I wish to build for the next generation. They have dreams and we should help them fulfill them. If they have nothing, what is our future? I will work at double the speed and will triple the economy of the state.
Why. How do you see your opponent?
Yogi: Akhilesh ji does not know anything about the country and the world. He gets up at 12 noon, gets ready by 2 pm. After that some scholar comes and explains things to him. They utter three or four things by rote and then it becomes their routine. Not much good can be expected from him. He was given the status of the most useless (useless) CM. Today UP has such a CM who is given the number one status in the country. That’s the difference between us.
Akhilesh: We have seen that when a child fails, his parents go to the school and convince the authorities to pass him. This is what the PM is trying to do, as well as talking about a double engine government. Baba the Chief Minister has been a complete failure.
Why. Who will win the election?
Yogi: We have once again set a target of 300+ and I am 100 per cent sure that we will cross it.
Akhilesh: UP has always given absolute majority in the last elections and this time we will get majority again.
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