UP polls: Veteran Kalraj Mishra's debut election

Former Uttar Pradesh BJP state unit president Kalraj Mishra has the distinction of heading the party organization four times in a period of over a decade.

Member of the Rajya Sabha, he has never contested polls and is in the fray for the first time from Lucknow East constituency. Although the seat belongs to the BJP, the sitting MLA has shifted his constituency.

Winning the elections is indeed a challenge for the stalwart BJP leader and his future depends on it. The party has projected him as one of the party’s chief ministerial candidate besides two others - the firebrand leader Uma Bharti and the present state party chief Surya Pratap Shahi.

Excerpts from an exclusive interview:

How is it that you suddenly thought of contesting elections after such a long stint in the party and after occupying several important posts?

You see, I am first and foremost a dedicated party worker and as such, I execute the work the party entrusts me.

I am a Sangh Pracharak and have learned to abide by party discipline. It is for my party High Command to decide my role.

My job is to carry out the task with responsibility. When the party asked me to head UP party organization I did so. Similarly the party nominated me to the Rajya Sabha and also appointed me as a national party functionary.

Now the party wanted me to contest so here I am to ensure that the party flag flies high.

What is your style of campaigning?

Regarding my campaigning I set out early in the morning around 9 am only to return back home late after 10 pm.

In the first phase, I undertook a door-to-door contact programme.

Then I held meetings in housing colony societies. I am also holding meetings at polling centres and hold at least 25 -30 meetings in these centres.

What makes you so optimistic about your electoral prospects. Also what is the common problem of your voters?

There is a lot of enthusiasm among the residents. Wherever I go they crowd around me and have given me a lot of respect.

My USP is a clean image, my seniority , sincerity, integrity and my successful performance while I headed the party unit.

My other rivals, the Samajwadi Party candidate, Congress and BSP do not stand a chance. They all happen to be first timers in the race. (Laughs) Yes, you could call me also a first timer but only in contesting elections, not in politics.

My constituency is facing civic problems such as a bad sewege system, poor condition of roads, unkempt parks etc. I have assured my voters that these would be my priority areas.

Moreover I have also promised them that I will continue to nurture my seat and will not be like others who just visit their constituency when they get tickets.

There is a general belief doing the rounds on the post poll alliance that the BJP will once again join hands with the ruling BSP as they have done thrice in the past in UP.

It is completely incorrect to say so. There is no question of BJP joining hands with any party this time. We will prefer to sit in the opposition benches rather than tie up with the BSP.

But this situation will not arise since I am confident that the BJP will come to power with a majority in UP.

Do you think campaigning by Team Anna will have any impact on the poll prospects?

You can wait and see campaigning by Team Anna or for that matter even Baba Ramdev would hardly make any impact for the simple reason that BJP does not require a certificate from them. The people have already seen the

performance of the party,both at the state level as well as in the Centre.

It is suprising that while other parties mainly the Congress, Samajwadi Party and even the Rashtriya Lok Dal have put in the forefront their Gen next leaders to campaign, the BJP and the BSP are sticking to the same faces

As far as youngsters are concerned even our party has asked Varun Gandhi to campaign in Pilibhit and Aonla seats.

The BJP does not believe in just promoting sons of political leaders.The SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav is projecting son Akhilesh while Sonia is propping up son Rahul to hold on to the reins of the Government.

LUCKNOW EAST Constituency watch:

Number of voters: 325, 000

Seat Held by: Vidyasagar Gupta (BJP)

Key Issue: Bad roads