As the dates for the 2020 Bihar elections are announced, the NDA seems ready to hold on to power in the state. Union Minister and BJP leader R.K. Singh talks to The Daily Guardian about the “new normal” of elections and the issues that will have an impact on the upcoming Bihar polls.
Q: This is the first election being held in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic and hence everything will be done differently. Do you think that will have any impact on the outcome?
A: We are ready for the elections and we have to keep in mind that these changes are necessary. Public health and life are of paramount importance. That is why there are so many precautionary steps being taken to ensure people remain safe. Anyone without masks will be provided one at the polling booth, the personnel will be in PPE kits, social distancing will be maintained, the polling time has also been increased by one hour and the number of voters at every booth has been reduced by increasing the total number of booths.
Q: Not everything is okay in the NDA alliance. Chirag Paswan, for example, seems to be in a rebellious mood.
A: There are differences in every family but that doesn’t mean the differences are grave enough for the family to break up. We are together and we will remain together.
Q: How big a threat is the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), led by the RJD?
A: They aren’t a threat at all. Most of their leaders have joined the JD-U. They don’t have a consensus as to who their CM candidate will be and no one is ready accept the RJD’s Tejaswi Yadav as a CM candidate. I think they aren’t even a credible Opposition anymore.
Q: Will the death of Sushant Singh Rajput become an election issue?
A: I didn’t raise this issue because of the polls. The citizen of Bihar as well as the entire nation felt it was an untimely death of a talent. We wanted the truth to come out and we are fighting for that. It wasn’t about politics for us. The issues in front of the people are very worrisome and the issue is about Bihar’s vikas (growth). The people have to decide who can work towards the growth of Bihar with all honesty. I don’t have any doubts that the people will be choosing us.
Q: Will the farm bills be an issue. The Opposition has raked it up quite a bit. Do you think it will affect the elections?
A: The Opposition has picked up a non-issue, there isn’t going to be any traction on it. The farmer isn’t going to fall for it. It’s all a farce because we, the BJP, have provided farmers freedom with these new bills. I’ve seen it on the field how the market secretary and the mandi manager were looting, harassing the farmers. Stopping their vehicles at multiple points, taking bribes and many such atrocities were being committed. We have put a stop to these by giving farmers the freedom they want. We have given the farmers the choice to sell anywhere they want.
Q: Will this issue affect the Bihar elections?
A: We had implemented this law in Bihar back in 2006 itself. The Nitish Kumar government had made the changes and the farmers welcomed it with open arms. I’m sure farmers across the country will welcome this law. Why should anyone tie down a farmer that they have to sell it at one place alone or why tie them down to giving cess?
Q: How many seats are you expecting in Bihar?
A: I think the NDA will get minimum of 3/4th seats.