‘People have turned polls into one similar to Presidential form’

As the Samajwadi Party and the Congress declared their candidates against him from the Lucknow parliamentary constituency, Union home minister Rajnath Singh – who has already filed his nomination papers – appears calm and composed as he meets people and strategises his campaign at his Dilkusha colony bungalow.


He represents a constituency which BJP has not lost for over 30 years and eight elections and has been represented by Atal Behari Vajpayee, another reason that Rajnath can devote more time outside Lucknow for campaigning.


With elections here just a few weeks away, Rajnath Singh told TOI how this election is all about Modi government’s achievements and how he is pained by the Opposition lowering the dignity of elections by using foul language to attack the PM. Excerpts …

How do you perceive the difference in 2014 and 2019 elections?

Pehle Modi ke naam par tha, is baar Modi ke kaam per hoga (2014 elections were fought on Narendra Modi’s name. This time, it is on his achievements).

So you think 2019 elections is a referendum on the performance of the Modi government …

We are seeking mandate of the people for the second time with Modi government’s performance as our plank.

Do you think this is an undeclared Presidential form of election, normally not seen in the Indian democratic system?

People have voted in a big way in the name of Narendra Modi. Not us, it is the people who are turning the election into a Presidential one where the name of the candidates is secondary and Modi is the first choice.

Is it this that makes the Modi government seem to be a one-man government and ministers have no liberty and freedom to act independently?
Whether it is the Prime Minister or chief ministers, key powers are always rested with the heads of the government in the state or Centre. I know as I have been chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. But this is not a government centred around Modi alone. All ministers have freedom to act. I have headed the home ministry for five years, which no home minister in the past could do. I had all the liberty to act and take decisions.

Why did the BJP lose three states in the heartland and four byelections in Uttar Pradesh if the Modi magic is working?

You cannot compare state or byelections with national elections. State elections are fought on the image and performance of the ruling parties in the states. Second, if you go by poll percentage, except Chattisgarh, we have not lost anywhere.

Senior leaders of major political parties are using foul language to attack each other … This should not happen. This is painful. There should be dignity in daily political discourse, even while criticising each other. I would reiterate that Congress is responsible for lowering the standard by the way abusive language was used against the prime minister. It has never happened in India.

You are pitted against two candidates — Acharya Pramod and SP’s Poonam Sinha. How do you rate them as your contenders?

I have tried my best in the last five years to serve, care and cultivate my constituency and its constituents. Nobody is my rival or enemy. All are my friends.
The ruling BJP is facing a formidable SP-BSP-RLD alliance in UP. How do you foresee 2019 results in Uttar Pradesh where it is being said to be facing double anti-incumbency?
It is a double-engine government where Modi and Yogi governments are doing exceedingly well. We will get 74 seats. The alliance is momentary and bound to perish because of internal contradictions.