Sushil Modi interview: 'Shatrughan Sinha is no Shah Rukh Khan'

Interview/ Sushil Modi, deputy chief minister, Bihar

PTI7_16_2018_000014A United front: Sushil Modi with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Modi is the glue that binds the BJP with the JD(U) | PTI

SUSHIL KUMAR MODI has been the face of the BJP in Bihar, and the glue that binds the saffron party with the JD(U). He has been running the show in the state along with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. In an interview with THE WEEK, Sushil Modi said the alliance was poised to do well, given the social combination it has managed to stitch together. On the issue of the BJP denying tickets to senior leaders like L.K. Advani, Sushil Modi said they embarrassed themselves by not bowing out gracefully. About Shatrughan Sinha fighting on a Congress ticket, he said the erstwhile superstar would not even find polling agents in Patna Sahib.

Leaders above 75 should have gracefully given up their claims. Those who announced their retirement did well, and others are facing embarrassment.

Excerpts:

The fight between the NDA and the RJD-led grand alliance seems to be on the issues of nationalism and secularism.

The issue of performance does not have any ideology. When bank accounts are opened, gas connections are given, roads are built and electricity reaches across the state, then where is the issue of secularism or cultural nationalism? The RJD and the Congress know that their image is bad and that their alliance is based on vote banks. Now, they are going to temples. We do not think there is any contest in Bihar. There is no challenge.

But across the country, the contest between the BJP and other opposition parties looks like an ideological battle.

Be it Chandrababu Naidu, Mayawati, Mamata Banerjee or Naveen Patnaik, they all have formed governments with the BJP in the past. Secondly, people do not want instability. They have seen the governments of Deve Gowda and Chandra Shekhar. Even political analysts are trying to predict outcomes based on old patterns, like if two groups come together, they will offer a bigger challenge to the BJP. Just because two anti-Modi parties come together, it does not mean that they will do well. Moreover, during the 2004 elections, we were not able to form a broad social combination. But this time, the Modi-Shah combine has understood the dynamics and given tickets accordingly.

The Modi government is criticised for GST and the note ban.

Where is the opposition to GST? Show me a single instance in which Congress chief ministers opposed it in the GST council. Now traders are not opposing GST. Everyone has accepted it. All decisions are taken by all parties inside the GST council. Demonetisation has led to the growth of digital economy. We won elections in Uttar Pradesh after the note ban, and in Gujarat after GST.

The BJP is being accused of using national security for political gain.

If the previous government had a big achievement, why did it not speak out? There was the Mumbai attack. Why was there no retaliation? If some action was taken, why did the government not talk about it? It was only our government which authorised the Army to take action. It was a decisive PM who directed the Army to take action. Indira Gandhi did it in 1971 during the Bangladesh war. Now since there is a decisive leader, they should support us.

Two of your MPs–Shatrughan Sinha and Kirti Azad—are contesting on Congress tickets.

Shatrughan Sinha will not even find polling agents in Patna Sahib, which is a BJP stronghold. Sinha thinks he can still win because of his popularity. That era is long gone. He has trouble getting crowds to his rally. Sinha is no Shah Rukh Khan. I had given him friendly advice that he should give up and not face humiliation at this stage of his life.

The BJP has denied tickets to veterans like L.K. Advani and M.M. Joshi.

It is a good thing that generational change is happening in the party. It is a matter of pride and happiness that new leaders are coming forward. Leaders above 75 should have gracefully given up their claims. They should remain in politics, but not in electoral politics. Those who announced their retirement did well, and others are facing embarrassment. Look at why the communist movement failed. It only put forward aged leaders. But in the RSS, most of the state leaders are under 50. This a good sign for growth.

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