Mathura:
With the 6th phase of polling, the focus of the elections in Uttar Pradesh has moved to western UP, a region that accounts for about 68 seats in the 403 member assembly. A prominent Jat belt, Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) is concentrating on capitalising and converting its Jat support into votes. The RLD has tied-up with the Congress in a pre-poll alliance and is contesting 45 seats in this region. NDTV's Ketki Angre joined Jayant Choudhary, MP and Ajit Singh's son on the campaign trail in Mathura, where Jayant has thrown his hat into the poll ring.
Excerpts from the interview.
NDTV: We are curious, why would a Member of Parliament want to contest elections to become an MLA?
Jayant Choudhary: Well it is a tough decision, my father sat me down one day and said how the state of UP needs direction and even how our party needs a certain energy. In our federal structure lot of the issues that we grapple with as Parliamentarians are actually dealt with at the state level like law and order, land, lot of the taxes, a lot of issues that have a huge impact on the day to day lives of our people, from policy making to implementation are taken up at the state level. That's one of the reasons why I have taken the decision to leap in...and with me contesting our workers will work with more energy and we will have a role in government formation.
NDTV: But its not going to be easy, you are up against an MLA who has won here quite a few times...
Jayant Choudhary: (nods) Six time MLA... When I contested. When I contested the Parliamentary as well it wasn't as if our party had a sitting candidate...So it is a challenge and I've taken it on and hopefully people will support my move
NDTV: With the RLD, because of its background where it has switched loyalties with parties, often the label that gets stuck is opportunist.
Jayant Choudhary: Well, to survive and serve your cause, I don't think we will let any opportunity go by. That is politics. People who say we are not fighting for the chair are lying through their teeth, otherwise there are other ways to do social work, they can run a charity organisation, they can work with NGOs. If you are there in politics, you are there to survive, you are there to get the chair and do what you want to do- what your vision is. We have a certain vision. We have never compromised on it. We've always been taking up, you know, from land acquisition or sugarcane farmers issues, while we were in the opposition, we raised those issues...and while we are in government we will still fight for those issues. We haven't compromised our issues and that's our core constituency.
NDTV: What about the young faces we are seeing in this election...whether its Rahul from the Congress, you from the RLD or Akhilesh from the SP. Is it easier for you since it's in the family or is it more difficult because expectations are higher?
Jayant Choudhary: I have faith in the parliamentary processes and I feel to win and election, you really have to share yourself. You are in a sense naked in front of the people. They see through it. So if you have a vision and capability only then will they choose you. So you are right, in a sense, people who have a lineage and who have a background, it does help them the first time, but irrespective, every voter makes his own mind up according to what he feels. So if he sees something in you, he will support you. I got good support in the Lok Sabha election and I hope since then I have built up upon it.
NDTV: What about your name doing the rounds as possible candidate for CM, or deputy CM if your party does reasonably well?
Jayant Choudhary: I don't know. Does an MP think I'm gonna be PM?! I don't think it works like that. It's not a direct election. Those decisions are going to be taken at a later stage. That's not in my mind at all, but of course if our workers are saying it, it's a reflection of their own aspiration and I will not stop the workers. But its not something I've thought about, I'm very young, I have a long way to go and a lot to learn.