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In the 2009 elections, Jitin Prasada won by 1,84,509 votes. But this year, things may not be easy for the 40-year-old MP contesting from Dhaurahra, a constituency which the Congress is baking on.
Communal cardThe politics of Uttar Pradesh is changing. The Opposition BJP is playing the caste and communal cards well, making it difficult for the Congress, Samajwadi Party and the BSP. However, Prasada is confident.
Speaking to Business Line , he says his efforts will be to expose and isolate those politicians who sail through the elections using caste and religion. For the Congress, he says, the trump card will be a host of legislations passed by the UPA Government. “We have believed in taking everyone along. Our programmes and policies will talk for us. Measures such as new Land Acquisition Bill, National Rural Health Mission and the Right to Education have helped millions of people,” he says.
He pegs his belief on the young voters in his constituency.
“Young India wants programmes and policies. They no more vote for candidates who uphold the identities of caste or religion. We have ensured that there a school in every kilometre and the quality of the curriculum and the teachers are improved and these things will definitely bring us votes,” he says. Asked if corruption charges against the UPA will influence the mandate, Prasada, Minister of State in the HRD Ministry, says: “We have never been an air bag full of gas. Compare our Government with the previous NDA regime. It was marred with issues like the coffin scam. In their Government, the disinvestment process also ended up in corruption.”
When asked why the Government, including the Prime Minister, ran down Constitutional institutions such as the Comptroller and Auditor General, he counters saying that no Government has allowed so much freedom to such institutions.
EconomyHow about the state of the economy, and allegations that the Government could not do anything to improve it? Prasada blames the global scenario.
“The slowdown is worldwide. India was also affected. But the UPA, with its unique approach of counting even the last person on the ground, has tried its best to combat the situation,” he insists.
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