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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Federal Front not dead, it is limited to Delhi, says Sharad Yadav
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Federal Front not dead, it is limited to Delhi, says Sharad Yadav

JD(U) chief, part of the newly formed Federal Front, raises issue of authenticity of opinion polls

Sharad Yadav says he sees Bihar among the most developed states in 10 years from now. Photo: Pradeep Gaur/MintPremium
Sharad Yadav says he sees Bihar among the most developed states in 10 years from now. Photo: Pradeep Gaur/Mint

New Delhi: Sharad Yadav, 66, the president of the Janata Dal (United), or JD(U), and former convenor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), said he had a fruitful 17-year-old association with the coalition with which his party broke up last year.

In an interview, Yadav, who is fighting from the Madhepura seat in Bihar, spoke about his discussion with former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the Gujarat riots, monotheism in the BJP, journalists being ordered by owners of media houses to be soft on BJP’s prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi, and claimed his party would win more than 20 seats from Bihar.

Yadav, part of the newly formed Federal Front, also raised the issue of the authenticity of opinion polls. Edited excerpts:

Do you miss being the NDA convener?

It was a fruitful association for 17 years.

Our party has made a lot sacrifices for this country. You would know when (BJP’s L.K.) Advaniji started his rath yatra, we were running our government with their support, but we said, ‘We will not break rules of the constitution to run a government,’ and we arrested him. So, this (breaking up with the NDA last year) is a very small matter.

I have resigned from the Lok Sabha thrice. When it comes to the country, there are a lot of people who take decisions selfishly but we took this decision as they (the BJP) digressed from the national agenda and returned to their old principles.

India has been divided once and we do not want divisive politics to happen again. There are a lot of differences in the country and we will have to take everyone together. There is no other way.

When they projected this kind of a man (Narendra Modi), we took the decision (to part) for the (sake of the) country. I was the convenor of the NDA. I objected to (then prime minister Atal Bihari) Vajpayeeji about the Gujarat riots (of 2002) as well and he said, ‘I am more hurt than you in this case.’ He said that he would take action and he tried to but his party was not with him on that issue.

When did you start noticing differences in your relationship with the BJP?

In the agreement on national agenda that we had with Atalji, both of us had kept our controversial issues aside. There was a general agreement about the national agenda and our association went on to exist for 17 years but when they broke that agreement and when outside forces started to drive them, it was not the same party anymore.

Today, if you look at the BJP, barring one person (Modi), the rest of the leadership has been finished. There are new people. There is no mention of those who have been working for that party for 30-40 years. If you look at the Congress party, which is run by one family, there are a lot of people who have proper roles but in the BJP, it is one man’s agenda.

Would you change your mind if BJP gets majority of seats in Lok Sabha?

No, not at all. How will they get majority?

So, you don’t think there is any Modi wave?

No, not at all. The BJP has been a big party from the beginning. Our party (Janata) was bigger than them. But, we got dispersed. Let me tell you one thing: the minorities, who account for 20% of the population in the country, are scared. On any volleyball court, if you ask a team not to play in 20% of the space, how will it win? People in India have faith in what is being shown on news channels and newspapers (about a Modi wave), but that faith will be broken this time as journalists have no say in that. They are doing what they are being told to do by their owners.

With you separating from the BJP, the battle for Bihar has become three-cornered (between the BJP-led alliance, the JD(U) and Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal, or RJD).

We don’t care about that, whether it is three fronts or four fronts. History will remember that we made the right decision.

The entire equation has changed with Lalu Prasad’s resurgence and the Lok Janshakti Party’s Ramvilas Paswan aligning with the BJP. Where do you see JD(U) in that context?

Ramvilas, RJD and Congress were fighting against us from the beginning. The new factor is that the BJP, which was winning seats because of us, has separated from us. They broke the national agreement. So, we don’t go by the impact of this decision in Bihar. We made a decision that was right for the country.

What are your prospects in Bihar?

JD(U) will win the most number of seats in Bihar. For example, if you look at Mithila, is there anybody who has done the kind of work that we have done? So, entire Mithila will be with us and so will be the rest of the state. There, they won’t even get proper candidates to contest elections. Last time, it was a clean sweep there and that will be repeated again. Everyone knows me there, and media or anybody else cannot impact our case there. You just wait and watch what happens to them in this election.

How many seats do you expect to win this time?

We will move ahead of what we had during last election. Last time, we had 20 seats and we are going to win more than that this election. (There are 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar)

Opinion polls show that RJD has an edge.

What is the credibility of opinion polls in this country where you have so many people, castes and religion? A larger section of the society is busy in earning their daily meal. Do they get surveyed? They are yet to get their rights. We never read opinion polls nor do we accept them. This is a concept of Europe and the US where there is a society of equality but it cannot happen in India. This is like anybody’s guess and politics is not guesswork.

Lalu is fielding his daughter. His sons are also getting active. What do you have to say about this?

Everyone’s children enter politics. Why do people blame only one party (Congress) for dynastic politics? Lalu is another example of such kind of politics.

Will they win votes?

We will see. Only time will tell.

Do you think people will vote for development this time or will they go back to voting on the lines of caste and religion?

You cannot rule out the social realities. People will take everything into account. Voting doesn’t happen on one factor but on the kind of candidate, the credibility of a party, the kind of development (work) that the party has done. People can go wrong in finding a good son-in-law but entire country cannot go wrong in electing the leadership of this country.

Do you still stand by supporting any party that gives special state status to Bihar?

It is not only for Bihar but for all the backward states, which have been highlighted by (the) Raghuram Rajan committee. So, we are asking for assistance for all the backward states as this country cannot progress without them. So, the question is not about supporting a party that will give such assistance but about the development of this country. If the environment becomes favourable, it will be done.

People say the Federal Front is dead.

We want the Federal Front to happen.

Does it exist? Will it be formed after polls?

Of course! It exists today. It has not dispersed. There have been meetings happening in that context and it has been decided that the Front is limited to Delhi. In states, dominant parties are free to form their alliance but when it comes to (the issue of) power in Delhi, we are united. In this context, my role of being a convener and keeping people together will be important. My significance has not deteriorated. Who organizes Bharat bandh? I do it. Is it possible for anybody else to do it? I have had good relations with everybody.

Can you name a few regional parties who support you on this?

How can I tell you that? That’s (a) strategic thing. I won’t tell you that. We may face different problems in doing this but we will manage.

Where do you see Bihar 10 years from now?

Among the most developed states in the country. You have so much fertile land. We have prepared an agriculture road map for the state that will be implemented in a full-fledged manner.

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Published: 03 Apr 2014, 12:32 AM IST
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