good evening. You're watching No spin. I'm not here as Dan. Well, the prime minister has sounded what they called the Pole bugle for the 2020 for general elections. At the concluding day of the BJP's two day national executive in Delhi today, the prime minister told his party, You have 400 days to the next general election. It's time to reach out to all voters, particularly those between the ages of 18 and 25. He essentially set the pitch as the BJP seek a record third term in the general election next year. Now the party actually has already, in a sense, begun it's campaign. In May last year, they had decided to focus on 160 Lok Sabha seats where they had either lost or one with a very slim margin, and to look to make gains in those seats, particularly in five Southern states, are where they are weaker. They know that they may lose seats in the north and other parts of the country, so they're looking. There is specifically the targeted way at seats where they haven't done well, so the BJP is clearly in pole mode and has been for a while. The question is who is the opposition to take on Narendra Modi? It's a question we have repeatedly asked. And now, with the elections only a year and a half away are is a time for the opposition to declare who their face against Mr Modi will be. Modi versus who that really is The question Today we have a terrific panel with us are today. And before I get to the politicians, because I know that it will become quite, um, quite a debate. Let me introduce first Mr Sanjay Kumar Sofala Gist in professor of C. S. D. S and they caused done extension polling, exit polls, opinion polls over the years, and Shivam which columnist and journalists also joining us tonight? A shiv? Um, let me ask you first, in terms of the messaging from the national executive of the BJP, what was your main takeaway from that? In terms of how they're going to frame the general elections campaign? Well, I think the reassertion in the persona of Mr Modi means we're in clearly that they are reasserting at a brand. Is Modi right there reminding everybody that they have the trump card which is moody. You maybe know Himachal Harold, you may have a rising Ahmadi party. You may have issued like an inflation and unemployment, but they are reminding exactly what you said that the that there is no opposition, that there is no alternative. The message is the same more or less 2019. I got moody, he be sausages. If the resolution is we're dividing people that the Supreme Court has rejected all charges against five minister we saw in the family which itself We saw a reassertion of the fact that he is a MAS figure. The reminder that we have to go back to the people against that We are People's Party where a mass organisation, the ledge Tbilisi of the BJP come from the masses, the rhythm of reminder to not get complacent. I I think the message remains Modi Modi's message and Sanjay Kumar, Would you agree with that? And also in your assessment? Where does the opposition therefore then stand? When when the BJP makes the battle very much about Mr Modi, is it at a disadvantage by not having one face to take him on and also a danger of overconfidence? I mean, I remember the India Shining Campaign and Mr Vajpayee's tenure as prime minister. So is there any danger of over confidence in the BJP camp? Also, First Mary on the question of whether opposition stand, I think for them it's a Catch 22 situation. If they finally managed to project someone as the face of the opposition parties, all operation parties agree. I think making a comparison between that face, whichever is that face and comparing it with Modi, think that face is going to be less convincing to the people of this country compared to Modi's phase. So even if they declare someone as the prime ministerial candidate, Raj not going to work to the advantage of opposition. But if they don't declare, I think the will keep reviling the people that look it can be if we come to power. This is for the is going to be the prime minister. Any p J. If Equation manages to form the government who is repeated Prime minister to this question, they will keep asking. So just reminding the voter again and again that we have Modi and the opposition doesn't have a doesn't have a face on people can rely upon so that operation is in us. Catch 22 situation. Now the question is, is overconfidence can work in against BJP. I think we may call it over the BJP contest election, whether it is about Gujarat or any of the state. I think they don't leave any chances. It just they don't only contest elections to win election. The way they tried to plan to contest election is to just they want too big. That was the message from Gujarat. That was a message from P. Batra and many states. So I don't think that the overconfidence is going to be going to damage BJP's prospects for 20 to 30 people. As of now, I see BJP clearly ahead in the electoral base of 2024 right? And it's interesting that you say that that the opposition is in a Catch 22 situation. Supreme Strain eight of the Congress Party is with us tonight and a soupy how How would you assess that? Is the opposition at a disadvantage simply because of the sort of mode I tried that has been created, and the very poor sort of very personality driven campaign that the BJP has now centred around do agree the opposition needs to find one Phase two project. I think the whole creation is now legally to be a problem for the BJP, the the BJP, which file seed itself as a Carla based party. If it's in the national executive, it's asking people to keep their self was out. There is a huge trouble there. There are huge factions within the BJP as well. Idea not want to talk about it. The BJP of Dusty was to cam of largest and the realities and sky formation is not helping the cause into which you more for elections when you go to elections and Mr Modi being the prime minister for it taken now where he goes into elections, he will be asked for report can. And what does he have to show this? Report card, High prices, UN middle prices, high unemployment, high levels of power, Huge income tax situation in act In the hands of view, huge income inequality gap between the rich and the poor is only wide. So one has Mr Modi's report card really hold. I think this make anyone gets creator United States such a Valoyes election machine the about what is not want to understand. Mr. Modi, under his own leadership on all state has last elections soon it's not get too carried away. As I also want to say one more thing this fall. You know its source of BJP To have Mr Modi versus who it is, Mr Modi. Person, smallest areas and all that to be accountable far and all the issues that the country cares about Right now we have just We are just about to conclude the first phase of the Baron Euro ya tra in Srinagar on the 30th of this month, we have met crores of India's who want to be who are reeling on the high prices who are reeling under poverty were really on the joblessness Have this seems to be no patients and no, you know Mr Modi's banner his government or its people want to lend to them saying that he will be judged You're saying that the government will be judged on its record and that this whole sort of personality angle is being played up in a way A and is a myth an on going to cancel a bar a Yoda ya tra as well. So giving any minute or come to that as well and the political impact that that is having. But Mr Bhaskar, gosh of the BJP is here with us in the studio. Mr. Gosh, how do you you know Look, look at what Sir Priya and and the other guests have said so far is it that the BJP is trying to make 2020 for very much centred around Mr Modi in order to gloss over some of it's not so great achievements as as a government unity festival, Let me tell you, Modi is not a name of the prime minister of this country. Today the Modi ments trust Modi means performance. Modi means assurance. Modi means protections. Modi means development to $5 billion. Trillion dollar economy. Modi means prosperity. Modi means pro poor Modi mints a lot. What you have just comparing with Mr Advani in India shining now These was not there with us that time and we talk about India shining. And today India is really shining by showing the performance by showing the protections by showing every aspect of the governance. So what my fellow Congress spokesperson is telling now show before 2 2014. What? For? The situation of this country and today why we're we're every verticals we can contest near 15, 20 years in the future that no no other party can achieve Number one number two today. In this last two days, our national is goody meat. We have taken that we will go to the grassroots, even 160 seats. That is a priority. But entire 5 94 sets. We will go to the grassroots and we will reach this information to the grassroots level. And as per the policies and principles of our Deen Dayal Upadhyay, that is it is a pro pro people pro people government and anta Johanna. So our objective is until the Johanna to reach combined with the sort of of push around, Mr Modi is what is working raising the social call well for scheme push with the development and pushed with the four sites For next 30 40 years, we have targeted our development in different economic Forum's up to 42,000 Quick response on on that before I come to the rest of the panel yesterday a go ahead. I interest alright to 76 election gallons. But the election is still a year, and three months of Indian store for heart thanks Who's prosperity are talking about the one person India's R A. And speaking between extending assailed currency. Who's talking about the one person who 50% of the poorest countries are 16% GST? You are that what three and knowledge economy are you talking about? We were supposed to be a pilot's agent, Valerie, 22. We will now be 1 29. We were supposed to double farmer in Tamil 22. Formal India's is only for a I like to go. I I'd like to go to Krishna Hegde of the I think I think the answer is very specific in all of articles in terms of the foreign reserve in terms of the economic growth in terms of the inflation, you compared with 2014 and you are lower. He should have issued have lick into yours Look into your our caller that you're no for. You can dodge. You can toy with your statistics by the reality shows the all the indexes of the development all the index of the export on the index of the foreign reserves, all the index of the park capital. The Krishna is joining us from his Shiv Sena spokesperson with the Shiv Sena. Mr. Shinde, who the current chief minister of Maharashtra, Mister Gleb, would also find interesting in terms of the BJP's politics over the last few years is that they have lost a lot of allies, and it's very clear that the BJP is pursuing and and good good for them, are pursuing a strategy where they're trying to expand and strengthen their own party. And if that means doing it at the cost of erstwhile allies, so be it. As an ally of the BJP today, how do you feel about that need if you go to see as an ally of the BJP, you see that the BJP has directors from the government and Maharashtra. Secondly, I would say with the BJP and the Allies, this time it will be up. Kibar Char So par and mark my words, it is going to be charge. So par and Supriyadi sing. I just want to counter or on that she has been saying a lot of statistics. I just want to give a very simple statistics in the last two Lok Sabha elections, the Congress had not been able to cross the figure of 100 Lok Sabha seats. Where is the BJP and its allies of cross? Close to around 652 700 seats? Child thing not itself, answers the question that there is no comparison. It is not Modi versus the opposition it Modi versus who and where. There is no opposition left in the country because the opposition will become so weak today because they don't have any ideology that. Let me tell you this. In Gujarat, the BJP swept the polls in Maharashtra. Dude, a Shiv Sena was in. You know, I alliance with the NCP and the Congress. Most people wanted the leadership of Mr Narendra Modi G. And that should be all broke off from the Shiv Sena. And we have formed the balance a banshee Shiv Sena the same way when in Goa, if you see the BJP has won, the election is there. So So It's only, um, if you are looking at facts and figures today, Modi g not only a national figure, but also international have lasted me. Why is it that the BJP has law. You you stayed with BJP but it's lost very crucial allies over the years like the a car like Kumar and and so many others over the years and have been happy to do that. But we have regular she'd already of the TRS also with us, Mr JD are in terms of opposition unity Is the TRS willing to sort of shared what? What people like Sharad Pawar another see as an impractical position on on the congress where you are looking at opposition coming together without the Congress can can can opposition really do that? It's still the main principal opposition party which is in a direct fight with the BJP in multiple states. You know why people are heavy talking about opposition unity? Whether Congress will be there are not now my good friend from Sheena Sensation is saying that who will be opposing Modi will be against him. It is Modi versus the people of this country in 2024 every development and social indicator which they were referring to their showing the downward strength in the country, every aspect in the negative growth. Now, if you really ask anyone this country to recollect the best 10 events of the Narendra Modi It would not be a development Programmes are on welfare launch. It would be definitely nine out of 10 would be an election rally. So BJP today is a party of elections and Prime Minister is on prime campaigners of their party north The prime Minister of this country You take any sector, you take agriculture, you take employment creation. You take industry growth. You take GDP growth. Just few numbers declaration and articulated speech is nothing more than that. So I am very clear. It is not the question who will be the alternative? Who will be the leader of the opposition? Whether there will be unity The congress will be there definitely today as B. R s party Trust 70 we are our leader has clearly announced our goal would be in 2020 for it will be up Bark isn't Sarkar. We wanted to see a government in the centre which will favour the pair of the farmers favours of the colour of the season. So will be working towards it on my question in the Congress are you willing to set aside the reservations as a party and find a way to work with the Congress, the the Congress will be there, or Congress is not. The people of country are thinking beyond these lines. Beyond the lines of in a few political parties, a few leaders it is all about a strong political, rather development and welfare alternative. We are tomorrow having us to choose public mission in Telangana in a place called Cam Um where three chief ministers and one for matches. Mr. Akhilesh Yadav Ji there on joining us and definitely be rs will work with all those political parties and forces will fight with strong the specifics I just because we just have a few minutes left. I want to touch upon the Bharat Dodo ya tra and we got to talk about it, of course, and much more detailed next week as it, you know, enter Sha final phase are but Shivam which I think a lot of people were sceptical about the bar, a judo ya tra and the response it would get It has got a pretty good response, you know, in places that many least expected, whether it was Haryana or even in up. It was just They're very briefly. And would you concede that is far as the way a Rahul Gandhi has been projected? A lot of the perceptions about him may have changed. Now. Whether that actually translates into something electorally is another question. But what you can see that the response to the Ya Tre has been something that has baffled a lot of commentators as well. Surprised them in a way did. He did not surprise me, you said, Whether translates into votes or not? Another question. It is not on the question. It is the question the Congress Party is being getting around 11 12 crore votes, every Lok Sabha election. That's a lot of boats, right? Even if that does not translate into seats is 20% votes roughly. And for a party that gets so many boards, it should be not very difficult to mobilise these many people she not even mobilise to attract rows come out of the streets. I think the Bharatiya Yata shows that the Congress Party should be doing this all these years, and Rahul Gandhi has not been this active on the ground in a consistent way in a national campaign not getting bogged by state elections. So yes, the Barracuda ATA takes very boxes. Make it's many things right. The question of whether it converts into votes. I think seawater had a very interesting survey in the early phase of the Ya Tra. We show that Rahul Gandhi's ratings are coming back to what they were before 2019 elections. Around the time Rahul Gandhi was during the Rafale campaign, which have been getting calls of the failure, his ratings were actually the highest. They have been right and and that may have been for many other reasons as well. But essentially, what's happening? What we're seeing here is there. The Congress Party's core voters are coming back to the party, the core voters at the core of water, and Goran 2019 2014, which risked going away to Armani party and the others being retained. The retention Ya tra in that sense. But is the Yata drinking any swing voters towards it? Is the Astra bringing any BJP voters to switch over to Congress? I don't think so. If the comment on that because supreme, you know, this has been a debate for some time now that you know it's a worthy cause. No one can argue with the Ya Tra that wants to unite people and so on. But can the Congress just say that it's not for elections? After all? You're not an NGO. You are a political party. You have to win elections and aim to win elections and look like you want to win elections. But do you think that I mean, this is certainly galvanised your cadre, but in terms of its election impact, what do you think that that could be assessment That was made a while back. I think with all due respect, id our assessment, I think everybody's entitled to use. I would want to see and out there in the field in Deh Yak Tra participating and, of course, manages things otherwise from here in Delhi, the yakuza has had to melt this response and please understand What are we marching for? We are marching for everything that stands against the today. Whether it is acknowledged issues the hell it is 11 time anyone that it is pricewise venerated proportion public being torn at every given opportunity by the BJP. Whether it is you know this this this amount of field at the spread of minorities and socially marginalised. Have a look at the time Um yeah organisation into These are people who will brought their The people were coming out on their own and people cutting cross the forces spectrum are joining us and may I also there say, this kind of for his pulse by large sections of mainstream media have chosen to completely black of the Ya Tra in very hard for me. I head social media for the congress. And so I'm what's a huge, successful, socially doubled last dimensions of have completely blacked out that says I will have to mend impacted elections. We are not an NGO, I don't he will behave like one. We are a political party as been political repercussions out of this today as people are speaking about love well, this speaking about peace weather since the exactly the the the the prime minister would not have been forced to do a 700 metres road here in Delhi before the National Executive Responsibility, and I challenged the the not I'm not really breaking the rules. 11 tell you the roads over the prime minister in Gujarat 26 Roadshow shows what is a populated the prime minister. We don't need to prove it in Delhi because that also and that was organised by the delay. Bjelica and Demand Number one Number two You are talking about your talking for Rahul Gandhi's Yata and now Linda's question of Yatta is so successful politically. Why Gujarat debacle? That happening now You see that now Now some of the that we don't care for the winning election we are carrying for the Ya Tra. We are all engaged in Yatta. So that is the result of ya Tra when it reaches Kashmir whether in reaches Karna Kumari whether reaches any parts of India because Yasha is is justice identity. Fauria of the people is a aside example of judges does have a point there that while you're yeah, a crucial state election like Gujarat, the Congress and even campaign there have but with way has evoked a very strong reaction from the panel and a break. But I promise you supreme we're going to talk about it in much more detail next week because it is going to Jammu and Kashmir and it's the sort of end of the otters we said. So what is the political impact going to be? Will certainly look at that news to to look at the BJP's strategy, but thank you very much to all of you for joining us with, see again tomorrow night.
