We will not join UPA govt: Akhilesh Yadav

The New Indian Express Editorial Director Prabhu Chawla interviewed SP scion Akhilesh Yadav for Teekhi Baat on IBN7. Excerpts

Hello! I am Prabhu Chawla and our guest for today (Sunday) on Teekhi Baat is UP’s likely future Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, did I say right or wrong?

AY: No, it is not so.

PC: No?
AY: The whole party wants Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) to become the Chief Minister.

PC: Future (Chief Minister) means anytime, can even be in 2025.
AY: Now, Netaji will become Chief Minister.

PC: That will happen, God may give him long life and good health, but future (Chief Minister) is you.
AY: What will happen in future, nobody knows.

PC: Five rounds are over, what do you feel about the wrestling between you and the Congress?
AY: Please see, the Congress is getting angry as the public has rejected them, and hence the Cabinet ministers are giving threats.

PC: Rahul Gandhi is talking about development and is also angry over the condition of UP, which has turned very bad.
AY: No. He is getting angry as nobody is working in the party. The people are not seen in the organisation and hence he is angry with his party. He tore the list of his own senior leaders. Now their leaders would have understood how much they are respected.

PC: Your fight is with Rahul or Mayawati.
AY : First we want to see the Mayawati government go out, as they have ruined Uttar Pradesh. The second fight is with the Congress as it allowed everything to be ruined. So much money has been wasted in erecting stone statues. We would also fight to stop the BJP.

PC: You stopped the BJP from coming to power in the Centre. But the Congress tells every time that they will not support you. Then why are you backing them?
AY: If the Congress feels that their government is running fine, then they should say that they don’t need the support of the Samajwadi Party.

PC: But you have supported them without any demand.
AY: Netaji has given support to the Congress because we want to keep the BJP out.

PC: You don’t want mid-term polls this time?
AY: Elections should not happen earlier and the biggest issue is that the BJP should not get ahead. To keep the BJP out of power, the Samajwadi Party had supported the Congress.

PC: Why I am saying that in UP you will go with the Congress is because in Centre you are with them, but in UP they are attacking you.
AY: In UP I understand that the Congress would not be needed, because the people will give majority to the Samajwadi Party.

PC: If you think you will get majority then you will not need the Congress or any other party. Then would you withdraw your support to the Congress?
AY: It will be decided by Netaji. What will happen in future, decisions regarding that will be taken in future.

PC: The Congress is saying that they will not support you. You are not saying that you will not take their support.
AY: The Samajwadi Party is getting full support and it will form a majority government.

PC: That is agreed, but if you don’t get majority then will you ask for the Congress’ support?
AY: It is too premature to say that. But we have confidence that people will give majority to the Samajwadi Party. And if we get the majority, we will not need anybody.

PC: That is the difference between Rahul and Akhilesh. Rahul says it loudly that he will not support, and you say that you will think before taking decision. That means you are depending on  Congress.
AY: Our party is nowhere dependent on Congress.

PC: Why don’t you say that you will not take support and you will sit in opposition?
AY: I am saying that we will get majority, we won’t need the Congress.

PC: No, this is imaginary. I am talking of another imagination. If you don’t get majority then what will you do?
AY: According to our estimates, the SP will get enough seats so that it does not need the Congress.

PC: How many seats will you get?
AY: Around 207 to 260.

PC: How many will the Congress get?
AY: The most under 40.

PC: You could have entered into an alliance. It would have been good.
AY: Alliance was not possible. Before elections no alliance is possible. And now we are working for majority as we don’t know that by depending on somebody we will be able to work for UP or not.

PC: There can be alliance even at the Centre, after winning you would want your ministers at the Centre?
AY: Till now there is no such decision of the party to be a part of the government at Centre. We are not going to be a part.

PC: Later it may happen?
AY: We will not be a part.

PC: Later also you wouldn’t?
AY: I understand that the Congress wouldn’t ever agree to the Samajwadi Party being a part.

PC: They are not ready, but you are ready?
AY: No, we are also not ready, we are only extending support to keep the BJP out of power.

PC: Thank you for coming to our studio
AY: Thank you, Prabhuji!