Dabiajagan (Madhya Pradesh): The Congress decided to go alone in Uttar Pradesh in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections keeping its ‘long-term interests’ in mind, stated senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia here Friday. He exuded confidence that the party will do much better than in 2014 in the state.
The Congress general secretary, in-charge of the party’s affairs for Uttar Pradesh (West), said the strategy is to revive and rebuild the party in UP. He stated that the results will show that fighting the elections on its own strength was the right decision. Scindia is contesting from the Guna parliamentary constituency in Madhya Pradesh as he seeks mandate for a fifth term.
“This time we have decided to fight on our own strength in Uttar Pradesh and build the party in the state and you will see based on the results in UP that probably it was the right decision keeping the long term interests of the party in mind,” Scindia told this agency.””We will do a much better job this time around for the whole of UP… let the voters decide,” the 48-year-old added.
Scindia however, sidestepped a question on whether the BSP-SP-RLD ‘mahagathbandhan’ will harm the Congress’ prospects in Uttar Pradesh.
“I think every party will emerge wherever it is the strongest. So, it’s not a question of the ‘mahagathbandhan’ harming prospects of Congress party or vice versa. It really depends on which party has the strongest candidate and the strongest organization in each constituency,” Scindia pointed out. “It is too hypothetical to tell you what will happen May 23,” he added.
In 2014, the BJP won 71 of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress and Apna Dal got two seats each and the Samajwadi Party five.
Scindia said the recently appointed Congress government in Madhya Pradesh had done a good job in delivering on pre-poll promises.
“The MP government has done an extremely terrific job. In a short period of time they have accomplished so much. From farm loans waiver to increasing the amount given to girls who are getting married, increasing pension amount, reducing electricity bills and others. Some very monumental decisions that were promised by our party before the polls are now in execution mode,” pointed out Scindia.
Madhya Pradesh has 29 Lok Sabha seats and in the last general elections Congress won 27. Scindia is expecting a repeat act if not better. “The aim no doubt will be to win all 29,” asserted Scindia.