Will get absolute majority in Karnataka, says Amit Shah

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, May 08, 2018 : If we have 50%, all others can come together and it does not matter. How do you see Yogi Adityanath’s performance?

 

His government is doing well. There has been unprecedented improvement in law and order and the condition of farmers in one year.

In UP, all castes backed you, but are backwards and Dalits now moving away?

Castes help you win when you have a leader. In UP, we did not have a leader. We won on a casteless platform, on the platform of governance.

Will anti-incumbency harm you in the next set of state elections where you are in power?

Anti-incumbency is not to do with the government’s existence and duration, but to do with governance and the attitude of the leadership.

If it has performed well, there is the benefit of being the incumbent. In Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, last time too, there was this talk of anti-incumbency after 10 years. We will do well in all three states.

In Rajasthan, you have not been able to decide on a party chief. Is there some controversy?

No. The current chief has resigned. He has been asked to continue till a new person is appointed. Consultations are on and we will take a decision.

There is talk of differences between you and the CM (Vasundhara Raje) on the state chief?

No. Differences don’t happen like this. That is for the media to write. I am here, and have been busy in Karnataka.

What do you think of the new Congress under Rahul Gandhi?

I haven’t thought of it carefully.

But they remain a major force.

Of course, Congress is a big party, an old party, but it has shrunk. It is been reduced to three states. And we will know what happens here on May 15.

So the primary challenge is from regional parties?

Every region has different dynamics. Even now, there is a direct face-off between the Congress and the BJP in 250 seats.

What’s your dynamic with the Shiv Sena?

Let me emphasise this: the Shiv Sena and we will fight elections together.

After TDP quit, what’s your reading of Andhra Pradesh?

I haven’t gone there yet. But our organisation in Andhra has spread. No one can ignore us.

Chandrababu Naidu alleges you are with the YSR Congress.

There is no such understanding.

West Bengal is seeing violence in the run up to the Panchayat polls, with Trinamool blaming you.

Who is getting hit in the violence? Will we hit ourselves? The Trinamool Congress is spreading violence to preserve its existence. But it won’t succeed. We will win 22 seats in the 2019 elections.

In Odisha, after the Panchayat polls, it seemed you have become a real challenger. But has the Biju Janata Dal made a comeback?

The Congress has collapsed. We are the main competitors. When there is anti-incumbency, the primary challenger benefits. And there is severe anti-incumbency against the BJD.

In Tamil Nadu, does the situation remain worrisome for you?

Our support base hasn’t expanded to the extent it should have.



courtesy:HT