Battle for Begusarai: Catching up with Kanhaiya, Giriraj and Tanveer Hasan

Along with development, the country's security is also important and for that nationalism is an important issue, says BJP's Giriraj Singh

The Lok Sabha seat of Beguasarai in central Bihar is turning out to be a three-way contest as it nears polling on April 29. This week all the three leaders were campaigning day and night, touching every district in their open jeeps and SUVs doing road shows and public meetings. Business Standard's Somesh Jha caught up with the three main candidates in fray: BJP's Giriraj Singh, RJD's Tanveer Hasan and CPI's Kanhaiya Kumar during their road shows.

Need to awaken people against anti-national elements: Giriraj Singh

Speaking to Somesh Jha in an open jeep, Giriraj Singh did not even mention his opponent from the Communist Party of India Kanhaiya Kumar in the Begusarai constituency. Edited version:

What according to you is the biggest issue in this election?

This time, under the leadership of Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi, the only issue on everyone's mind is vikas (development) and our motto is sabka sath, sabka vikas.

But nationalism seems to be your key plank in the campaign looking at your roadshow

Along with development, the country's security is also important and for that nationalism is an important issue. In fifteen years of the RJD rule, there wasn't any development (in Bihar). There are roads now and social security for all. The Centre has given Rs 36,000 for development of Begusarai and it will continue to support it.

But roads that we are on right now don't seem to be in a good condition

This is an on going progress. In the last five years under this government the focus has been on reviving the oil refinery which was on the death bed. Same is with the fertiliser and petrochemical industry...business is doing good.

You are the MSME Minister and the industry had complained of going through a lot of pain due to GST and demonetisation...

Look all that was a transition phase and it was in the long past. Everything is alright.

You weren't happy when your candidature was announced from Begusarai. Have you settled down here?

Yes, I was emotional about the Nawada seat. I have told publicly my opinion was not sought in Bihar. And there is no harm in being emotional about it.

Who do you see as your biggest opponent - Tanveer Hasan or Kanhaiya Kumar?

My biggest opponent is Giriraj Singh. I have to awaken the countrymen towards these anti-national elements in the society and that's my prime challenge.

Kanhaiya Kumar has termed you as a visa minister who often want to send people to Pakistan…

Today, Rahul Gandhi is playing up Pakistan's agenda. Those who are talking in Pakistan's language should get in touch with Navjot Singh Sidhu who can help fix a meeting with (Pakistan Prime Minister) Imran Khan.

Do you also subscribe to Meneka Gandhi's views that a certain community which doesn't vote for the BJP will not get benefits from the government?

Tell me which schemes of the Modi government is only meant for Hindus or Christians only? When everyone is taking benefit of the Centre's scheme, it is but obvious that they need to praise the government too.

Tanveer Hasan | Photo: Somesh Jha

Kanhaiya Kumar has allied with Modi: Tanveer Hasan

Tanveer Hasan had contested from RJD ticket in the last elections in Begusarai and had lost to BJP's Bhola Singh. In his interview on his way to Tejaswi Yadav's rally in Begusarai earlier this week, Hasan says it's a fight between the NDA and Mahagathbandhan in Begusarai. Edited excerpts:

What are the key election issues in Begusarai?

In Begusarai, national issues are naturally important as it is Lok Sabha elections and the kind of MPs selected from here will define the direction in which country wants to move to.

Is nationalism an issue?

It's not the case that we are not nationalists. Neither the RSS nor the Left were a part of the independence movement. Had Mahatma Gandhi termed them a traitor, it would have been difficult to wash off that strain but he chose not to do so.

BJP's nationalism is akin to what (Adolf) Hitler followed that led to his and Germany's fall. BJP and its mother organisation RSS is mirroring the same pattern. It is apparent that we are taking one step backwards by doing all this. 

Do you think it will impact your votes?

The test to the BJP's nationalism was seen in the Assembly elections held in various states recently. Also, BJP has lost in most by-polls held after 2014. We are not against nationalism but our fight is against jingoism which sidelines the real issues.

It is seen that in Bihar that the NDA is united in its fight but that's not evident in case of the Opposition. Tejaswi Yadav didn't go to any of the rallies of Rahul Gandhi in Bihar. Is everything alright?

There are no differences. Rahul Gandhi is a national-level leader and Tejaswi is a regional leader who has his own schedule to follow and that would have been a reason (to not attend the rallies). In any case, in such rallies, all local leaders are surely present on the stage. We are united.

What do you think of Kanhaiya Kumar's candidature from Begusarai?

Media has been very kind to him. We have one outsider leader (referring to BJP's candidate Giriraj Singh) who has been camping here since one month. The other candidate, straight out of a university, is here since three months. I am here since decades and was myself born out of a student political movement of 1970s.

But it has been observed that Kanhaiya Kumar has been raising basic ground issues in his rallies…

He hasn't raised any ground issues. He is aligning with Modi by encashing on the issue that they are raising. In Bihar, it's a fight between the Mahagathbandan and the NDA.

You lost from Begusarai in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. What different are you doing this time?

Last time, the alliance was only between the Congress and RJD. This time the alliance is with three more regional parties which were with the BJP in 2014. So, it will have a positive impact on us. We have a strong position if you do the math.

How much did Lalu Prasad Yadav being in jail impact the morale of RJD?

He is there with us mentally, if not physically. He has committed supporters and followers who ensure the we don't lag behind in our fight even if he is in jail.

Kanhaiya Kumar during an election campaign in Begusarai | Photo: Somesh Jha

Left has declined electorally, not politically: Kanhaiya Kumar

Kanhaiya Kumar opens up about why he chose to enter politics from Begusarai, how the left parties need to realign themselves and how he is tackling the issue of nationalism being the main election plank of the BJP. Edited excerpts: 

What is the importance of the Begusarai seat in the Lok Sabha elections?

I am not fighting this election from Begusarai keeping in mind its national importance. I completed my PhD (postgraduate doctoral degree) and I wouldn’t have got a job considering the manner in which I had to complete it. Whosoever takes a stand against the government is robbed of their jobs. It has happened with media, bureaucrats and even the Reserve Bank of India governor who had to resign from his position…I am an ordinary person. After completing PhD, I don’t think they would have let me do my job peacefully so I thought of coming back to my village and take up teaching.

But when I came to Begusarai and met people on various occasions, I felt they wanted me to raise their voice. I participated in a few social movements here and then did a few public meetings under the banner of ‘save the country, save democracy.’ I realised people were going through a lot of atrocities. Begusari has always been a politically motivated and charged place. And I being a social-political person cannot detach myself from the electoral process. Now when I took this step, the whole machinery of BJP, including its top leaders like Amit Shah and others have taken it seriously and nominated a central minister to contest from here. I am getting support from all parts of the country. 

Begusarai was also famously known as ‘Mini Moscow’ or ‘Leningrad’. Why do you think there was a decline of the Left parties here?

(The stature of) Moscow itself has declined so what is Begusarai in front of it?

But why do you think people don’t connect themselves to the left?

Do you think so?

If you look at electorally, it is quite evident…

Yes, it is one reality but not the only reality. Election has its own mathematics. 

But is it not a reality that the left parties are seeing a decline in Begusarai, as is the case in the rest of the country and elsewhere?

You are right. There has been a decline electorally but not politically. Electorally, the left has declined due to fund crunch, derailed politics and other factors. The left wouldn’t decline politically till the time the country doesn’t go in the right direction.

You think the left parties have not evolved itself in terms of some of the issues it still raises?

They need to change tactics. Issues being raised are genuine.

You think the elections in India are going Presidential style as is witnessed in the US?

Yes, that is a threat for a Parliamentary democracy. For a country like India, this kind of politics is not good. The elections should be issue-centric and not person-centric.

Do you think the BJP is riding on a wave because of this? 

This is the agenda of BJP. BJP has been taking a stand – even when it was politically weak – of opposing the multi-party system. They then manipulate the multi-party system, use alliance politics to come to power and weaken their alliance partners. They want to introduce a two-party system and the ultimate goal is one party, one nation and one man. 

You think the Opposition parties are falling in this trap?

Opposition is not able to counter it properly in this election. 

But you too are the opposition…

We are trying to be aspiration of people and not to be the opposition.

Will you have an active political life if you lose this election?

Political life is not decided by wins or losses. It is decided by the fact that whether you are actively a part of politics or not. Politics will always be a part of you and you will also be involved in politics. If you go and vote, you are political. And those who don’t believe in politics are also political. There is nothing such as apolitical. Like social life, everyone has a political life. 

Do you aspire to be a national leader?

Who am I to say whether I want to be a national leader? I am fighting to fulfill the aspirations of people. I am fighting for the people, it is for them to decide whether they see a leader in me or not.

What do you have to say about the two opposition candidates?

What will I do by forming an opinion on them? I have to keep people in mind, have to form an opinion on them and formulate plans for their development. 

How are you tackling the issue of nationalism being raised by the BJP in your public meetings?

I think people are tackling it well and not me. No one takes them seriously.

But we travelled to Munger where we found this issue playing up in the mind of many voters… 

They are able to propagate their lies where there are not enough people to speak out truth. There is a saying bad people shout because good people are silent. They can’t debate for more than five minutes on nationalism. Don’t these roads, which are in bad shape, belong to this country? Haven’t you betrayed people of this country by not giving them jobs, Rs 15 lakh in bank accounts and good roads? Their history speaks for themselves. They were hands-in-gloves with the British and now they are shouting about nationalism. They are the real tukde-tukde gang, causing the biggest harm to nation.