‘There will be surprises in Rajasthan ticket distribution’
JAIPUR: Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar is the BJP’s election in-charge for Rajasthan. In an interview to Urvashi Dev Rawal, Javadekar spoke on a host of issues ranging from lynchings to anger against chief minister Vasundhara Raje to campaign and ticket distribution. Edited excerpts:
Given the resentment against chief minister Vasundhara Raje and sitting elected representatives, how does BJP hope to fulfil the mission 180?
This is possible because the mood of the nation has changed. People are allying with the BJP with the hope of development and progress and have drifted away from the Congress. In 2014, BJP had only 6 states and Congress had 14. Now BJP has 19 and Congress is down to 4. So this time there will be no change in regime and this time it will be BJP phir se (once again). This time too everybody wants Modiji to be repeated and Raje has performed. People want double engine growth — Modiji from Delhi and Vasundhara ji from Jaipur.
There is anger against many sitting MLAs. How will you deal with it?
We have taken feedback from the field. I am very sure people will see a very rational mix of age, experience, youth, entrepreneurship and popularity.
Can we expect surprises in ticket distribution?
I will not speculate on number but whatever is required will be done. We have done surveys and have data with us. Based on the data, the surveys and actual experience we are going to decide on tickets. There will be many surprises. Yes, I agree that cutting tickets (to sitting legislators) will help the party.
Various sections Rajputs, Jats, farmers, SCs, are unhappy with the BJP. How will you tackle this?
They have not gone away from BJP. BJP is the only party which has really honoured Rajputs. What Manvendra Singh did today is that he betrayed the party which gave all honours to Jaswant Singh ji and his family. He was finance, defence and external affairs minister, five times Rajya Sabha member and twice Lok Sabha MP. We gave him eminence. Manvendra joined his father when he rebelled against the BJP in 2014. He was suspended MLA for the last four years he was not with BJP. This will have no impact.
How do you see the leadership struggle in the Congress party?
Congress is a party that has lost steam, it has lost the plot. Rahul Gandhi is proving to be a liability because wherever he goes, they lose. In Rajasthan they are a divided house.
Infighting between Gehlot and Pilot is visible to everyone. Gehlot has said that some leaders have paid money for hiking their rating. When Gehlot tries to address people, Pilot supporters hoot him. So this is the state of affairs in the Congress.
The lynchings by cow vigilantes set a bad precedent against the government. The Muslims community feels they are being targeted. What is your comment?
Lynching anywhere is bad. It is condemnable and must be punished heavily.
But this did not start in 2014. Unfortunately, it was a Congress legacy.
In Gujarat, when 52 kar sevaks were burnt alive that was the worst kind of lynching. In 1984, when 3000 Sikhs were burnt alive that was also lynching and in Bhagalpur when Muslims were burnt alive that was also lynching.
Law and order is a state subject and the state has acted and taken effective steps.