Past four months have been tough: Tej Pratap Singh Yadav

It's the Republic Day holiday, but Tej Pratap Singh Yadav, Mainpuri MP and the grandnephew of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, is surrounded by party workers on the sprawling lawns of the Yadav family house in native village Saifai. An equal number of people are waiting at another lawn near the entrance. It's election time, and Teju--as he is fondly called--is busy giving directions to party workers.

He is an undeclared NET “custodian“ of the home turf, a role he played with NA aplomb when his family was going through its worst crisis during the past four months. While battle lines were drawn in Lucknow, he ensured that peace prevailed at the pariwar's roots. A man of few words, nobody heard him say anything about the intra-family struggle. However, while taking to TOI, he admitted that “the past four months have really been tough." Excerpts...

How is your party placed?You have been travelling, you can give a better perspective. Hum logon ko toh sab theek lagta hi hai (everything appears fine to us). We are targeting 36%37% votes which should be enough for a win.

There are reports of resentment in party ranks over ticket distribution.Not in Etawah or Mainpuri.All Mainpuri MLAs have been repeated. There is one winning candidate replaced in Etawah, but that is not a big issue.

Will alliance with Congress help?The alliance will add to our strength. Last time (in 2012), we got about 30% votes. This time, even if it falls a bit, together we would easily reach the target of 36%-37%.

Any joint campaigning planned with Congress?Yahan koi scene nahi (it is not required here). Congress is not contesting on any seat in this region-Etawah, Mainpuri, Kannauj, Firozabad, Farrukhabad, Etah and Auraiya. In these seven districts, there is no Congress candidate.

Congress has got seats in Agra, Ma thura and Kanpur A areas. So, no joint campaign planned TTER here.

Are you camping here to look after the party's campaign or is it a routine Janata Darbar?I will stay put here till February 19 to look after the campaign. People of my constituency keep visiting me with their request for work. Since today is a holiday, I have called them for a meeting.

Will the women brigade from your family play a major role in campaigning?Yes. They will help us mobilise women voters.

It must have been a tough time for you.Elections are really tough.

Past four months have already been very hectic.

We are talking about those four months only.During the pe riod, party work ers were confused. Wherever I would go, they would ask “what's happening“. I wouldn't be able to answer them but counsel them to maintain calm.

Now there is no confusion?Now, they are all charged up.

But people must be asking which faction you are with...Is question se bachna mushkil ho gaya tha (It was difficult to duck this question). Whatever you say , you don't know what they might interpret. Ek baar agar kuchh print ho gaya... aap kab tak safai denge? (If anything gets published, for how long will you keep clarifying?)

Do you think a generational shift has taken place in SP?Dekhiye, election ke baad hi maloom chalega (we will come to know only after elections).Generational shift to tabhi ho gaya tha jab Netaji ne CM (Akhilesh) banaya tha (this shift had already happened when Netaji made Akhilesh the CM in 2012)
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