“In future, the SP will not form an alliance with any party”

On August 23, Samajwadi Party national president and Azamgarh MP AKHILESH

YADAV held a review meeting with senior leaders at the Lucknow party office on 19, Vikramaditya Marg. It has been three months since the general election, in which Akhilesh’s Samajwadi Party managed to win only five of the 38 seats it contested (Uttar Pradesh has 80). In his first interview since the drubbing, Akhilesh spoke to ASHISH MISRA about what went wrong and the road ahead for his party. Excerpts from an interview: Q. Why did the SP do so badly in the general election?

The alliance polled quite a few votes, but not enough to defeat the BJP.

Q. The SP lost seats for the first time in even the Yadav bastions such as Kannauj and Badaun.

During SP rule, we established medical colleges in Kannauj and Badaun. Ninety kilometres of the Agra-Lucknow expressway, which was constructed during the SP rule, passes through Kannauj. But it seems that isn’t the kind of development people wanted.

Q. While breaking the alliance, Bahujan Samaj Party national president Mayawati blamed you for the

SP’s inability to transfer its votes to the BSP.

I leave that to the public to answer. During my meeting in Firozabad district, I specially thanked those workers and leaders of the BSP who were responsible for the increase in SP’s votes in the Lok Sabha election.

Q. The SP formed an alliance with the Congress for the assembly election in 2017, then tied up with the BSP for the Lok Sabha election this year. Did this confuse the SP worker?

I have told SP workers that we will not have an alliance with any party now.

Q. Under your leadership, the SP has lost three consecutive elections—two parliamentary and one assembly.

That’s right. If we look at the SP’s performance in terms of actual votes, our votes haven’t decreased in parliamentary elections. Our votes increased this election too but less than the increase in votes for the BJP.

Q. The BSP is trying to dent the SP’s traditional vote bank by giving Muslims and Yadavs prominence in the organisation?

I don’t know how many times the BSP has changed its state president so far. The SP is not bothered about what the BSP is doing in its party organisation.

Q. Those close to your father Mulayam Singh Yadav are said to be marginalised within the party. You seem to be surrounded by inexperienced youth leaders and senior SP leaders are leaving the party one by one.

All of Netaji’s old associates are active within the party. If you check the party record of people who meet me, you will find that both senior leaders as well as general workers come in large numbers. Regarding people leaving the party, not only SP but leaders of every opposition party have joined the BJP. The BJP is giving lessons in what kind of politics to practise when you come to power.

Q. During the voting on the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, your father didn’t leave the House with you?

Whatever I say on this issue, people will misinterpret. No one said anything about the two other leaders who also sat with Netaji during the House vote.

Q. Has the SP party organisation become sluggish after the Lok Sabha poll?

I have dissolved all posts in the SP organisation except that of the state president. Very soon, I will declare the dates for the party’s campaign in rural areas. In the next two years, the SP will start campaigning at the village, block and district levels.

Q. Now that the BJP has a welloiled 24 x 7 organisation, how does the SP plan to take it on? What use is 24 x 7 politics if people are getting murdered in broad daylight all over the state? The BJP government has converted UP into ‘Hatya Pradesh’. I have told SP workers not to work 24 x 7 but only 12 hours with full dedication.

Q. Now that you have become Azamgarh MP, are you considering national politics?

The focal point of SP is Uttar Pradesh; I will practise politics in UP.

Q. What are the SP’s prospects in 2022?

We are working towards forming the government in 2022.