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INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK It’s Caste Vs Growth Bihar is the fastest growing state thanks to NDA People will vote NDA again in their own and Bihar’s interest- Dr CP Thakur A highly qualified doctor, the present Bihar State BJP president, Dr CP Thakur enjoys an equal name in the medical and social fields besides politics. He stands awarded with Padmashri and BC Roy National Award. He was elected to Lok Sabha from Patna constituency in 1984 and 1991 and became a Cabinet Minister in NDA government led by Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee where he held the Health and other portfolios. Presently, he is a Rajya Sabha member. A few days back Amba Charan Vashishth interviewed him in New Delhi for Organiser. Excerpts: The election process for Bihar Assembly has already set in. What electoral scenario looks to you to be emerging? For 15 years, Bihar has suffered a long trauma of mismanagement by RJD. An NDA coalition government of JD (U) and BJP during the last 5 years has established new milestones and norms of development. This has ignited a new hope in the mind of Bihar people. Good work done by the Nitish-led NDA government has infused greater faith in the administration. People start shivering at the very thought of those 15-year RJD misrule when massacre of innocents, murders, abductions, dacoities were the order of the day. Lalu regime opened Charwaha Schools (schools for grazer families), but closed the same too soon. Education was the worst casualty under his regime. There were no teachers. Right from the primary to the medical college stage education went topsy-turvy. Administration was something looked absent at that time. During the last five years the people's experience has been very happy and sweet. They wish to see the present government in power again so that the pace of development gets accelerated further. How strong and united is the BJP to face the twin challenge of Congress and Lalu-Paswan unity? Congress and Laluji have always been in direct or indirect electoral understanding. Therefore, I do not think it is a twin challenge; for us it is a single, combined challenge. Lalu government in Bihar was comprised of people from Congress too. Whenever Congress-led UPA has been in trouble at the Centre, it has always been Lalu Yadav who jumped in to rescue it in Parliament. Their alliance and unity, direct or indirect, will only help BJP-JD (U) combine. Are there any strains between BJP and JD (U) over any issue? Not at all. We are unitedly fighting the elections. There are no strains. We have reached an understanding on sharing of seats - BJP contesting 102 seats and JD (U) 141. Everything stands settled amicably. How is religion and caste factor going to influence the elections? I admit caste and religion do play an important role in the election. It happens in every election. Minorities, particularly Muslims, do have some reservations about BJP because of false propaganda against our party. However, of late, the response of minorities towards BJP has been very positive and encouraging. Recently we organised a rally of minorities, which was very impressive and successful. We hope to receive greater support from minorities this time. BJP-JD(U) government has done a lot for the minorities during the last five years. I appeal to the minorities to come forward to support us. What are the main achievements of NDA and, in particular, of BJP during the last five years in office? Both JD (U) and BJP are partners in NDA Government. The Nitish government has done exceptionally well. The BJP ministers in the government have made a mark in the field of health, road, urban development, finance, animal husbandry and the like. Our main achievement is that we have provided good governance. People now lead a normal and peaceful life. Now they move about freely and fearlessly in the streets. Children go to school without any fear and worry to the parents. Earlier, students were subjected to abduction during RJD rule. There was no movement on roads after 8 PM. Many new roads have come up and these are in good condition too. As a result distances between places have been reduced. Many bridges on rivers have been constructed fast. New school buildings have sprung up. Girls have started going to school. They have been provided with school dress. Both girl and boy students have been provided with cycles to go to school. All this has left a good impression of government on people’s mind. What made you to resign in a huff? For me, BJP is a family and what happened was just a minor irritant in a family. It was settled within the family. This does happen in every family and in democracy. Everything is normal. Everyone of us is now wholeheartedly working to ensure success of BJP and JD(U) candidates. The results will bring out this fact.

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