Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar on Thursday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “harbinger of change” and praised BJP for its pro-Muslim and pro-backward class approach for their welfare. In an interview to News18, perhaps the first one after he announced his return to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Rajbhar discussed his priorities at length, hinted his induction into Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s cabinet, but remained silent over the portfolio allocation. “He just wants to serve the masses,” Rajbhar said about Modi.
Over the distribution of tickets, allocation of portfolio and other crucial issues regarding the next year’s Lok Sabha elections, Rajbhar said the final say would be of PM Modi, who will shortly hold a meeting with all 39 parties to decide over the same.
Edited interview
Q: With your return to the NDA fold ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the speculations are that the Yogi Adityanath Cabinet in Uttar Pradesh will be reshuffled to accommodate you and Dara Singh Chauhan after he quit the Samajwadi Party (SP). How far is this correct?
A: I am a servant and I believe in serving people, which I have been doing all these years. Hence, I want a department where I can serve humanity. However, the final decision over the distribution of tickets, the seat ratio will be finalised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the meeting, which is in the next couple of days.
Q: OBC reservation, ban on liquor and other social issues have been raised by you and your party from time to time but the UP government is yet to give its say on them. So what is the reason behind the change in your stand?
A: Our issues and agendas are still the same and we will continue to serve people with the same spirit and zeal. Recently, when I met PM Modi, I put across all our issues, long-pending demands before him. He appreciated our concern and assured us that it would all be resolved soon since, at present, the only target is ‘Mission 2024’ and to bring back Modi as the PM for the third time.
Q: Since you have announced your return to the NDA, what will be the status of jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari’s son Abbas Ansari who contested from Mau seat on SBSP ticket and won by 38,116 votes, defeating Ashok Singh, a BJP candidate in the 2022 UP elections. Will he too be part of NDA?
A: Abbas Ansari was an SP candidate. But since in the 2022 state assembly elections, SBSP was in alliance with SP, he was allowed to contest on SBSP ticket from Mau. Ansari had won the last assembly elections on our party’s ticket, he will continue to be our party’s MLA.
Q: In one of your recent statements you have called the PM ‘harbinger of change’ and termed BJP the only party with pro-Muslim and pro-backwards approach that is working constantly for their welfare. How?
A: Until 15 years ago, opening a bank account used to be a struggle for a common man. It was PM Narendra Modi ji who made it possible and now the benefits are being transferred to their bank accounts. It was he who made it all possible. He is a harbinger of change. In fact, BJP is among those political parties that has actually done something for the OBCs. Ayushman card, free ration, Jan Dhan Yojana are some of the schemes whose benefits have reached every individual.
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