New Delhi: Describing the BJP’s position in poll-bound Haryana as ‘very good’, BJP president and union Home Minister Amit Shah said the government’s decision to scrap Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir has given a big boost to the party’s position in the state which is known to produce a high number of soldiers.
"Article 370 has made a huge impact in the state that sends one the highest number of jawans to the armed forces," Shah said in an exclusive interview to News18 Network’s Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi.
The contribution of Haryana, a relatively small state, to the armed forces is reported to be around 9%.
Speaking at a poll rally in the state recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said the massive mandate given by the people gave him the strength to take the “big decision” on Article 370. He also challenged the Congress to publicly state that it will restore the provision if voted to power.
“India is taking big decisions, which no one could think of earlier. Which decision am I talking about? This decision is of Article 370. J&K and Ladakh are moving on path of trust and development and credit for this does not go to Modi, but it goes to 130 crore people of this country. I derive strength from you, you gave us big mandate,” Modi had said.
Shah said another big factor that has worked in BJP's favour in Haryana is the corruption-free image maintained by the present chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar. "In Haryana, we also have the advantage of having a corruption free government. The UPA (at the Centre) gave the state around 22,000 crore in five years, Prime Minister Modi has given the state upwards of Rs 1.17 lakh crores in the last five years.”
The Home Minister claimed there has been a "sea change" in all public departments in Haryana and today there is “not one town or village in the state that doesn't have a four lane or six lane highway passing through or near it.”
“Infrastructure has got a huge boost, farmers' issues have been addressed, electricity issues have been addressed, and government procurement of paddy and wheat crops is happening as per the Minimum Support Price," said Shah.
When pressed to give a prediction of seats his party was likely to win in the state this time, Shah said it would be premature to give numbers at this point but he was sure of his party returning to power comfortably with two-thirds majority, and improve its tally from last time.
In 2014 assembly elections, the BJP had secured 47 seats, one more than what was needed to form government in the 90-seat assembly. The party had also swept the state in Parliamentary polls, winning all 10 seats with comfortable margins.
When asked how big he considerd the ‘Jat vs non-Jat’ factor in the upcoming polls, Shah said in the last five years "caste-based politics has been 100 per cent diluted. Prime Minister Modi's greatest achievement towards strengthening Indian democracy and democractic processes has been to get rid of casteism, nepotism and appeasement."
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