‘The BJP’s campaign is based on fearmongering’
Congress general secretary in charge of Chhattisgarh says that the change in tone and tenor of BJP leaders after the rst two phases of polling shows things are not going their way; he says that there is little energy and enthusiasm in the BJP vote base to
Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot says the BJP is running a negative campaign rather than engaging in a debate on issues, policies and governance structures. He says his party is talking about equitable growth while the BJP has resorted to fearmongering and lies. Excerpts:
At the end of two rounds of polls covering 190 seats, where does the Congress stand?
I think it is very clear with the change in tone and tenor of the BJP leaders that the rst two phases of polling have not gone their way. Congress and INDIA bloc candidates are certainly ahead.
The voting percentage has dropped in comparison to the previous general elections. What does it indicate?
It is hard to say. I would have liked more voting. It is always good for a democratic country to have maximum participation. And we hope that it improves in the next phases. But one explanation for this drop could be that the famed booth management of BJP has come undone. Also, I think there is little energy and enthusiasm in the BJP vote base to re-elect the same government to power.
Your manifesto is more in the news than the BJP’s manifesto. Do you believe that the Congress could have framed the question of wealth redistribution better?
The intent of the Congress manifesto is in black and white. To blatantly lie about and spread canards about our manifesto shows the desperation of BJP. I would be happy if the BJP were to debate on issues, policies and governance structures. But that is not happening. We have promised ve NYAYs and 25 guarantees, we are very clear that India belongs to everyone. There should be equitable growth. But the BJP has now resorted to fearmongering and lies.
I am surprised that instead of talking about what they have done in the past 10 years, they are now talking about things that are purely imaginative and running a negative campaign.
The Congress’s campaign for a caste
census is less than a year old. But historically, the Congress has always underplayed the caste question, including famously burying the Mandal Commission report. Do you think, therefore, it was strategically a wrong move to raise this demand?
Our demand for a caste census is basically aimed at providing an eective tool to frame better policies. There are 140 crore people in this country. The government makes certain budgetary allocation, targeting certain social groups. But if you do not know their numbers or the quality of life they lead, how can you really make eective policies? Right now the government is functioning on ad hoc numbers. We don’t know whether we have done enough? Or whether we need to reorient our policies for a dierent group? We do a tiger count, a tree count to assess the impact of government interventions but we don’t want to count our citizens!
You spoke of fearmongering by the BJP but the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has instead accused the Opposition of running a false propaganda that the BJP will end reservation.
We have not said anything. In fact, it is BJP leaders themselves who have made statements to this effect. There are certain sections who are worried that the BJP may do things that may harm their rights and privileges. It is for the BJP leadership to issue disclaimers.
(Full interview at bit.ly/sachinpilotinterview)