Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh is confident that his model of food security in the tribal State was still effective enough to see to it that the BJP returns to power after the year-end election. A former practitioner of Ayurveda, Singh describes ‘rice’ as the only and perfect medicine to fight hunger. Singh has set out on the last leg of his Vikas Yatra ahead of the Assembly elections and is confident that a divided Congress would also help him secure a hat-trick victory in the tribal State. On board a special bus, which he calls a Rath, Singh spoke to Kumar Uttam about his bete noire Ajit Jogi and BJP’s prospects in national election. Excerpts:
Except for Narendra Modi in Gujarat, no other BJP Chief Minister has secured three victories in a row. Are you confident of achieving that milestoneIJ
100 per cent. People of my State know continuity of the BJP Government was in their interest. We have tried to remain a pro-people Government and despite a sustained campaign by the Congress, we have succeeded to remain close to the heart of people. They would not dump us to vote the Congress back to power.
Why are you so confident about your victoryIJ
In last 10 years of the BJP rule in Chhattisgarh, we have launched people-friendly schemes. There is one or the other welfare scheme for every section of society. In the last decade, people have seen how they benefited from Government schemes. The success story of Chhattisgarh Food Security Act is now being talked about in rest of the country.
But, the UPA Government has promulgated an Ordinance to counter it. Many Congress-ruled States have already launched it. Won’t it take the steam out of your schemeIJ
Absolutely not. Instead it would backfire on them (Congress). let me explain how. We are providing 35 kg of subsidised rice to every family. The Congress’ scheme proposes 5 kg of grain to every individual. The maximum entitlement the UPA’s food scheme prescribes is 25 kg. So if a family has three members it would get 15 kg if the Congress scheme is implemented. In no case it would be over and above 25 kg. My Government is providing 35 kg. I am asking people do they want Raman Singh’s scheme or Sonia Gandhi’s scheme. Answer is the obvious. Then I have expanded the coverage of food security to about 43 lakh families, which is nearly 90 per cent of Chhattisgarh’s 2.5 crore population. The additional 13 lakh families added will realise what my Government did for them.
Your party keeps accusing the Congress of spending public money on schemes with intentions to get electoral dividend. It seems your policies are the same.
No. The reality of my State is different. It was a backward State with over 30 per cent tribal population. Even majority of the non-tribals lives in rural area. They did not have access to basic facilities in all these years. You cannot expect development when your people are hungry. Change cannot be brought about when empty stomach. I understand that. My people realise that. Those from outside would perhaps not understand it.
Don’t you think that anti-incumbency of 10 years would hurt youIJ
Popular Governments do not have anti-incumbency. Instead, a pro-incumbency exists for them. But I do not want to take chances. My Vikas Yatra is aimed to neutralise the anti-incumbency, if it exists at all.
Don’t you see a challenge from CongressIJ
Chhattisgarh politics is bi-polar and you cannot discount the Congress. But the Opposition is a divided house. Compared to this, the BJP has remained united and has provided stable Government. People will consider all this before voting.
There are reports that Ajit Jogi might walk out of the Congress just before the election.
No, he will never quit the Congress. He perhaps wants his party to kick him out. He will then play a martyr. Such gimmicks don’t work in Chhattisgarh. Even if Jogi is out of the Congress, he cannot secure victory of his candidates. At best, he can ensure defeat of a few Congress candidates. I am not worried about these things.
Do you plan to soften your approach towards Naxal problem in your third inning as Chief MinisterIJ
Certainly not. In fact, I will strike at them with more vigour. Tribals are with me because they know I am waging a sincere battle against Maoists and not merely paying lip service. The bus we are trying in can be blown any moment. I am surrounded by insurgents. But I am not scared. There is only one prescription to Maoism and I will stick to it, come what may. Andhra Pradesh was another State to deal with Maoists in a similar way. They have succeeded to a large extent. We will also achieve success soon.
Where do you see the BJP after the next lok Sabha electionsIJ
Our party will be the biggest beneficiary of the anti-Congress wave blowing across the country. There is no doubt that the BJP will emerge as the single largest party after the election. It will be way ahead of the Congress. Next Government will be led by the BJP. There should be no doubt about it.
Does Narendra Modi’s presence as campaign panel chief of the BJP makes any differenceIJ
He is very popular. He will help the BJP increase its tally substantially.