Cong is nowhere, won't even reach double digit in UP: Baghel

Union Minister of State for Law and Justice and Agra MP S.P. Singh Baghel on Tuesday asserted that the Congress is nowhere and cannot reach even double digit in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

In an exclusive interaction with IANS, Baghel put forth his views on the high-decibel campaign in the state.

On Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra trying to strengthen the party base by addressing rallies, the Minister said: "Congress is nowhere in Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. I do not think that the Congress can even go to the double digit."

"Congress leader Rahul Gandhi even lost his traditional seat Amethi... Whenever Priyanka Gandhi flew from Delhi, she used to land at Fursatganj. She visited constituencies of her brother and mother several times... Rahul had to go to Kerala's Wayanad as he knew that he will not be able to win in Amethi."

 

In the 2017 Assembly polls, the BJP formed the government in the state winning 312 seats, Samajwadi Party bagged 47, BSP 19 while Congress could get only seven seats.

Taunting at Akhilesh Yadav's rallies drawing massive crowd, Baghel said: "Crowd does not convert into votes."

"Akhilesh's supporters from 15-20 districts are reaching along with him at all the rallies. Around 15-20 aspirants for tickets are there in each Assembly seat, so they come for show of strength. In 2019 Lok Sabha polls also, SP's rallies drew huge crowds but they even lost their family seats," he said.

When asked about BJP's position in the state, he said that the party will reach out to people and tell them about state government's welfare schemes, post which "Lotus" (BJP's party symbol) will definitely bloom in Uttar Pradesh.

On the question of large scale disenchantment in rural areas, Baghel said, "In 2014, winning 73 seats was a big achievement. In 2017, we got full majority in state polls, and we got the same support of the people in urban as well as rural areas in 2019 as well."

When asked if he is bothered with Akhilesh stitching alliances with smaller parties, the BJP leader said that in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls also, the SP, the BSP and the RLD fought together, but what was the result? Then RLD chief Ajit Singh and his son Jayant Choudhary had to bite the dust on their home turf.

"Besides, Akshay Yadav and Dharmendra Yadav also lost in their family bastion -- Firozabad and Badaun. These were the seats which the SP was winning for a long time. That's why we are not worried about any political party forming alliances in Uttar Pradesh," he said.

Baghel further said: "Akhilesh Yadav is playing psychological game by poll tie-ups. However, if the SP has Om Prakash Rajhbhar, we have Cabinet Minister Anil Rajbhar. If the SP has Anupriya's mother Krishna Patel, we have tall leaders like Anupriya Patel herself and Santosh Gangwar."

In 2012 Assembly polls, the SP had bagged 224 seats, the BSP 80, the BJP 47 while the Congress 28.

--IANS

msk/svn