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Yogi Adityanath Interview Highlights | Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is speaking exclusively to Network18's Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi. The interview comes hours after Adityanath filed his nomination papers to contest from the Gorakhpur Urban constituency.
This is the first time when Adityanath, a five-time former MP, is contesting the assembly elections. He was earlier elected as the lawmaker from the Lok Sabha seat of Gorakhpur in the 1998, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014 general elections.
The saffron-robed politician, who is also the head priest of Gorakhnath Math in Gorakhpur, will remain the chief minister if the BJP retains power, the party has already announced.
Adityanath, known for his firebrand rhetoric, has been leading the party's campaign in Uttar Pradesh along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Since the electioneering phase began, however, Adityanath has ran into controversies with some of his statements that drew ire from the Opposition ranks.
The "80 versus 20" remark has drawn the accusation of communalism. Adityanath, however, has claimed that his remark does not target any community but states that 80 percent of the people will support him and 20 percent will oppose him.
The chief minister has maintained that the BJP is contesting on the poll plank of development, improved law and order, good governance and nationalism.
The Adityanath-led BJP, according to experts, is primarily challenged in this election by the erstwhile ruling Samajwadi Party which has formed a broad coalition with a number of regional parties.
Notably, the polls are scheduled to begin in Uttar Pradesh from February 10, and will be held in seven phases till March 7. The results will be declared on March 10 by the Election Commission of India.
The live blog session has concluded. For more news, views and updates, stay tuned with Moneycontrol.com.
The converation of Yogi Adityanath with Network18's Rahul Joshi has concluded. The UP chief minister spoke on an array of topics, ranging from his equation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, relation with the Muslim community and the number of seats he expects the BJP to win in the UP assembly elections. Hereare the complete highlights from the interview.
Sharing his views on BJP veteranAmit Shah, Adityanath said,"People have acknowledged his achievements as UP incharge. He interacted with workers at booth level. We have seen closely his work in 2014, 2017 and 2019."
On his chemistry with PM Modi, Yogi Adityanath said,"Modi ji is country's leaders and his patronage as PM is available. There is no point of disagreement. Whatever has been done has been achieved under his patronage."
"Every Indian acknowledges that India will become a global leader under PM Modi's leadership," he added.
Listing out the development projects initiated and executed by his government, Yogi Adityanath said there were 12 medical colleges built in UP in 70 years. But 33 were developed in our government, andwork on another 17 colleges is underway, he added. "UP is going to be first state with five airports," he further said.
"Look at the tickets distribution of the BJP and compare it with other parties.SP, BSP and other parties have given tickets to history sheeters," he said.
On repeated reference to the criminal cases against Azam Khan, Atique Ahmed and Mukhtar Ansari, Yogi Adityanath said, "When professional criminals are from the same community, where do you get criminals from. The government is committed to act against criminals. That is what we did," he said, adding that this should not be viewed from the prism of religion.
"There is a match fixing between the SP and Congress. That is why the Congress doesn't field candidates against Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav," the chief minister said.
On farm bill impact on west UP, Adityanath said,"There was no impact of farmers' agitation in UP. Farmers from UP had supported the Bills. But we do not know why they joined protest later."
On Chaudhary Charan Singh's legacy, Adityanath said, "He was a big farmer leader. We respect him. No one did what he did in western UP. But if Jayant had taken forward his grand father's legacy, things would have been better. You cannot compare the two."
On Amit Shah's invite to RLD chief Jayant Chauhdary, Adityanath said,"Amit Shah is Home Minister of the country and BJP's former president. He spoke of Jayant's benefit. Jayant ji took it wrong. Every one knows, he (Jayant) doesn't move out of Delhi. Where was he when people were dying in Muzaffarnagar riots?"
"Every memberof the BJP is a face for us. Bhupinder Yadav, Keshav Prasad Maurya, Dinesh Sharma, Jai Prakash Nishad, there is a long list. All of them are faces. All these people are working on merit.But people who still believe in dynastic politics feel bad," Adityanath said. "We have people from all sections, Rama Shankar Patel, is from backward caste and is a minister in our government," he added.
On Mulayam Singh Yadav's daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav joining the BJP, Adityanath said, "Many people have left SP and joined us. These are the people who thought the system there was wrong."
