He is suave and articulate face of Akhilesh Yadav. He is always there when Chief Minister wants to sell Uttar Pradesh to global investors and wants to drive a point among entrepreneurs. Being a professor in IIM, Abhishek Mishra, 38, knows the skill to hard sell achievements - be it of state government or of Samajwadi Party. In a candid chat with this reporter he argued why lucknow needs huge representation in state cabinet. When two legislators from lucknow – Ravidas Mehrotra and Sharda Pratap Shukla – were sworn in as Ministers he deftly justifies as why three ministers (including him) from lucknow was the need of the hour and how character of party has changed from rural to cosmopolitan.
Excerpt of the interview as follows:
Q. Why lucknow has become so important all of a sudden for Samajwadi Party government.
A: lucknow has always been important for Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. Only difference is that now you have noticed it - that too after induction of Ravidas Mehrotra and Sharda Pratap Shukla as ministers in the cabinet. I can give you nth reasons to prove that lucknow was always important for Samajwadi Party Government. look lucknow got metro during our time. Projects like CG City, Medicity, IT City Hub are the brain child of Akhilesh Yadav. Gomti beautification project is at place. Face of lucknow will change in no time.
Q: So – these are the reasons Samajwadi Party gave ministerial berth to three legislators from lucknow. Why I am asking it because it is rare to have three ministers from lucknow. You being MlA from lucknow (North) have been in ministry since 2012 and now two people have been indicted into ministry.
A: There are other political reasons too. Samajwadi party swept lucknow district in 2012 elections. We won all seats barring lucknow east. This showed faith of people on Samajwadi Party. Remember – a few years back you people used to call Samajwadi party as a party having its base in rural UP. But now we have extended our support base. We are no longer a `gaon ki party’. We have good support in cities and nearby areas. So – it is of paramount importance for us that if people have supported us we should also reciprocate in that sense.
Q: Do you think portfolios …
A: Portfolios are decided by Chief Minister. No individual has his say in deciding or choosing portfolio. This is the prerogative of Chief Minister and we should honour his choice. Our responsibility is to obey the orders of our leader and we are doing it. Whatever portfolio CM deems fit can be given to his ministers and no one should question that.
Q: Do you think that making ministers at the fag end of the tenure would help in impressing voters. Or if I put it other way – will this decision (of having three ministers from lucknow) impress voters of state capital.
A: Why CM picked up three ministers can only be answered by Akhilesh Yadav himself. There are other districts that have multiple ministers. As I said earlier lucknow has bestowed full faith on Samajwadi Party in 2012 and it will do the same and replicate the same result in 2017.
Q: Party looks confidant of making a comeback. What is the mantraIJ
A: There is no short cut. It is the hard work of our Chief Minister which will bore fruits in 2017 elections. He has a vision to make Uttar Pradesh a Uttam Pradesh. He has put plans to translate that dream into reality. The silhouette of that dream is visible now. Uttar Pradesh is galloping to the path of development. The pace of development is holistic. All sectors have been taken into count. We have done work. We will go to people with our report card and tell them what Samajwadi Party Government has done for them. I am sure people will vote for development.