'There's more dirt to UP election than identity politics'

As India's largest state, Uttar Pradesh (UP) gets ready for a seven phase election starting from February 8th, stretching all the way up to March 3rd. At the Congress party headquarters, Digvijaya Singh is monitoring the 403 assembly constituencies. The General Secretary of Congress Party is known as a man who does not pull his punches, often quotes controversy, and has been known to contradict the Congress-led UPA government on many occasions. Is he a maverick or is he part of a larger design?

Anuradha SenGupta of CNBC-TV18 chats up Digvijaya Singh, general secretary, Congress on the latest episode of Beautiful People. Below is the edited transcript of the interview. Also watch the accompanying video Q: You have been parked in Lucknow for over two weeks now. This is the state that you are responsible for in these elections. Tell us, what the issues on the ground are because from Mumbai and Delhi, we are looking at only the identity-politics that seem to be in play?
A: Last 22 years, this state has had three governments headed by BJP, three by Mulayam Singh of Samajwadi Party and four times, its been Mayawati of BSP. But there has been a declining trend since 1989. Governance and development always take a back seat and what we have seen is virtual loot of the state of UP. No holds barred, criminalization is to the extreme, the whole politics is centered around how much money you can make and how much you can oblige your own kinsmen or your relations. Poor are getting poorer. The middlemen and people with muscle power are getting contracts, the money is not being spent on the developmental works but pocketed. Issue of national rural health mission