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'AAP will not win a single seat': Raghu Sharma

Interview/ Raghu Sharma, AICC in-charge for Gujarat

Raghu Sharma | Arvind Jain

Q/ The general perception is that the contest in Gujarat this time is three-cornered and the presence of the AAP will damage the Congress's chances.

A/ The AAP is nothing but the B team of the BJP. Their aggressive posturing is nothing but a sham. It has entered the fight in Gujarat with the sole purpose of damaging the Congress, but we will not allow that to happen.

Q/ The AAP seems to be running a spirited campaign, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visiting the state frequently.

A/ It is all just hype. They will not win a single seat in Gujarat. Their leaders can come to Gujarat and make as many tall claims as they want, but it will not have any impact. Kejriwal went to Goa, too. What happened there? They do not have an organisation. They do not have workers on the ground. They cannot win elections on the basis of propaganda spread via social media by paid workers.

Q/ Your rivals have commented on the party's 'silent campaign'.

A/ We may not have held many big rallies so far. But we have put in place a robust system to reach out to the voters. Our leaders and workers are carrying out an intensive door-to-door campaign. We may not be grabbing media eyeballs, but we are connecting with the electorate.

Q/ It is said that unlike 2017, when the Patidar agitation formed the backdrop of the polls, there is no emotive issue this time.

A/ There are a number of issues this time that the people feel strongly about. There are five lakh vacancies in government jobs. The most important issues are price rise and unemployment. The BJP government has failed to control the problem of drug trafficking. Despite prohibition, liquor is available at the doorstep. The farmers feel cheated. The recent incident of the collapse of the Morbi bridge is only one instance of the corruption in the ruling dispensation. The government failed miserably in Covid-19 management. The tribal community is unhappy. The dalits and Muslims are feeling threatened.

Q/ The BJP exudes confidence.

A/ If they are so confident about winning, why is Prime Minister Narendra Modi spending so much time in the state? Why is Amit Shah campaigning so extensively? They seem to have no faith in their chief minister or the local unit. They changed the chief minister and the whole cabinet because they could sense the anger of the people and their impending defeat.

Q/ Several MLAs have left the Congress.

A/ The BJP is killing democracy by fervently pursuing the policy of buying opposition legislators. The AAP is saying that voting for the Congress is akin to voting for the BJP since the MLAs will anyway go to the BJP. That is a malicious campaign. We are being very careful in deciding our candidates.