We’re working with a 74-plus seat target in UP: Yogi Adityanath

Early on Sunday morning, as Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath switches from one meeting to another and attends calls at his official residence in Lucknow, news of Rahul Gandhi contesting from Wayanad pours in. 'It is an insult to Amethi if he is also contesting from Wayanad,' Yogi tells TOI. In a free-flowing interview, he talks about the SP-BSP gathbandhan and its plan to kick off its campaign from Deoband. He also takes on Congress which is trying to make a spirited comeback in UP as he lays down his development agenda, including the grand Kumbh Mela he had organised. Excerpts...

How many seats do you think BJP will win in UP?

We are working with a target of 74-plus seats and we will win as many.

Who have you left the remaining for…?

We haven't left any. When I say 74-plus, it means up to 80.

Do you think BJP will gain seats after the Balakot strikes?

After Balakot, expectations of people from (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji and BJP have gone up. People believe that BJP can respond to terror. There is no doubt that the government under Modi, on every front, has given an exemplary performance and the attraction of the common man towards Modi has definitely grown.

Since 1947, the northeast had become highly sensitive. For months, it was under curfew. Different groups had stunted development of the region. After coming to power, Modiji prepared a plan for it. He appointed a minister in-charge for each state and told them to spend at least three days a month there. There is so much change there now. The northeast has entered a new phase of development. Separatist groups, which were challenging the unity of the country, were immobilised in the first surgical strike in Myanmar. Separatist camps were destroyed after our jawans were attacked in a surgical strike and there is peace in there, along with development.

Then there was the second surgical strike in Uri and now, after Pulwama, people have greater expectations. The action was necessary and as per expectations of the people. If terrorism tries to dent the security of this country and its sovereignty, we will give it a befitting reply. And we have shown that we can do it.

But do you think you will benefit from this by gaining seats?

The NDA government is successfully completing five years in power. There can be no accusation of any kind against it or its members. There is no anti-incumbency. Even before the February-end air strike, people across the country used to say that their first choice for the post of PM is Modji. I agree the media's viewpoint changed after the air strike.

Many say PM Modi and you are a combination of Hinduvta and development…

We all want to take forward development and administration as our poll issues. We talk of development projects as Saubhagaya, Ujjwala, Kisan Nidhi and Kumbh. Congress ke log mandir mandir bhatak rahe hai. Akhilesh Yadav ne kaha hum duryodhan ki murti lagayenge. Toh soch jiski jitni hogi, utna hi karega. Mai Rahul Gandhi ki baat kar raha hoo. Nakal ke liye bhi akal chahiye (Congress leaders are visiting temples. Akhilesh Yadav has said he will build a statue of Duryodhan. People are driven by the type of mindsets they have. As for Rahul, I feel even to copy others one needs intellect).

SP and BSP announced they will start their first joint rally from Deoband on April 7. You started with Shakumbhri Dham in Saharanpur...

In the state, the first phase of elections begin from west UP and Saharanpur is the beginning point and nerve centre of that region. If they have their faith in Deoband, we have our faith in Ma Shakumbhari. Which is why we started our campaign from that 'dham'. We talked of our development plans. People have witnessed misrule by Congress, SP and BSP and how they used caste-based politics to be in power.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi included Maa Vindhyavasini Temple in Mirzapur, Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi and Hanumangarhi in Ayodhya…

Acchi baat hai ki Modiji ke bhay se inhe ishwar aur prabhu yaad aa rahe hai (It is good that fear of Modiji's has made them god-fearing). This is the same Congress which submitted an affidavit in Supreme Court in 2005 saying that Ram and Krishna do not exist. We are glad that at least PM Modi has forced them to turn into believers

Priyanka-Rahul-Congress on one side and SP-BSP on other. Which is more challenging?

In 2017, it's Priyanka Gandhi who brought two boys together. Logo ne khaarij kiya. Chahe woh bua-babua ka ho chahe bhaibehan ka ho. Uttar Pradesh ki janta jaanti hai asliyat (People did not accept Priyanka's bringing together of Rahul and Akhilesh.

Be it a coming together of aunt and nephew or brother and sister, people of UP know their true colours).

Rahul Gandhi is contesting from both Amethi and Wayanad...

If Rahul Gandhi is going to Wayanad, it's an insult to Amethi. It's a seat that has been nurtured by his family for four generations. He no longer is in control of Amethi. He is now looking for a safe passage.

SP-BSP alliance is not only unprecedented but come with a huge voter base of Yadavs, Muslims and Dalits. Do you agree there is a big challenge from them?

In 2014, BSP was reduced to zero in Lok Sabha. Akhilesh Yadav played a clever game by joining hands with BSP so that he can save his skin and use Dalit votes to win a few seats. BSP will again return with zero seats.

In 2017, you talked about bringing in anti-Romeo squads and raked up issues of boundary walls outside kabrastan (cemetery). Now these issues do not exist...

These were not poll issues. It was required to fix these concerns and we did that after coming to power. Now, the money that was being used for graveyards is also going to shamshan ghats (crematoria). We have restored dignity of women and girls in two years.

Ram Mandir has always been part of most poll speeches. Will it be Balakot or Ram Mandir this time?

Our issue is development and security. We have given priority to both internal and border security. Ram Mandir was never a poll issue. It is a matter of faith.

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There are comparisons between you and PM Modi. Many in BJP believe you could be his successor...

Modiji humare neta hain, margdarshak hain. Unki prerna se hume safalta prapat ho rahi hai. Poora desh Modiji ke saath khada hai. Unhi ke leadrship mai chunaav lad rahe hai (Modiji is our leader and he shows us the way. It's his inspiration that is getting us success. The entire country is with Modiji and we are fighting this election under his leadership)

In a recently held rally, you termed Imran Masood as "damaad" of Masood Azhar…

I didn't take any names but certainly Congress leaders have no respect for senior leaders of the country and party leaders use foul language for the Prime Minister. Congress party takes name of most wanted terrorist Masood Azhar respectfully using "ji". I had said that people who use the language of Azhar Masood should be identified and punished by the people of the country through their power of votes.