Ajay Kumar Lallu, the humble and proactive Uttar Pradesh Congress chief who has marked himself out as a leader who works among the people, believes his state is yearning for a radical change.

Lallu, whose work on the ground has drawn attention on social media, spoke to The Telegraph about his vision for the Congress’s revival in a state that had once been the party’s stronghold but where it has been out of power for over three decades now.

Assembly elections are due in Uttar Pradesh in 2022.

Excerpts:

Q: We have been hearing about a Congress revival in the key state of Uttar Pradesh for almost two decades now; every new state president claims the tide is turning. The same is being repeated in your tenure. How is it different now?

Lallu: The difference this time is Priyanka Gandhi. She is totally committed and we are all working under her guidance. People are looking up to Priyankaji with hope. The organisation is being expanded with strong teams in every district. We intend to reach every village. There is constant monitoring.

Our strategy is sampark-samvad-sangharsh (contact-communication-struggle). You can see the churning in the society. The Congress is visible everywhere in the state and it has already become the most talked about party. The reason is that Uttar Pradesh has been misled and fooled by politics of religion and caste. Both Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati did caste politics. They were caste leaders.

The BJP is purely a communal party; it won power by creating a religious divide in society.

People have now realised that these parties did politics for grabbing power, not for giving good governance in the biggest state of the country (in terms of population). The Congress doesn’t do politics based on caste and religion. That’s not our DNA. While all the three parties — the SP, BSP and the BJP — are suffering an acute crisis of credibility, people want the Congress now in the hope of development and justice.

Q: But the Congress has always talked about development and opposed politics based on caste and religion. And the people have rejected it. What’s new? You rely only on Priyanka?

Lallu: The leadership of Priyankaji is definitely a factor. People know the Gandhi family has no lust for the trappings of power; they have seen it all for decades. People can trust them for their own welfare and safety.

The critical difference this time is that people’s sufferings have reached an abnormal point. Pet khaali hai (stomachs are empty). Injustice and coercion have peaked. Industries are in ruin, farmers are distressed, youths have no jobs, women are insecure.

Betrayal by these three parties, coupled with the fatigue factor, has compelled people to look at the Congress. And the Congress is everywhere — in their struggles, in their miseries… giving voice to their concerns.

While the BJP is only creating problems and trying to suppress discontent by force, the SP and the BSP are nowhere to be seen. Congress workers were in the field during the lockdown and the migrant crisis, fought against the CAA-NRC and stood by farmers.

Q: But the SP and the BSP have a much stronger organisational machinery. The Congress doesn’t have the muscle to beat them. Will Priyanka’s charisma alone suffice?

Lallu: We have strengthened our organisation. Large numbers of people are joining daily. The Youth Congress brought out impressive rallies against unemployment in over 20 districts. The SP and the BSP are facing a severe image crisis. Everybody in the state knows they have been silenced by the CBI, ED and the income tax department.

Only the Congress is not frightened by such coercive measures. The CBI-ED can fetter them, not us. Tota bana diya unko (the SP and the BSP have been reduced to parrots). Mulayam, Akhilesh (Yadav, SP leader and former chief minister) or Mayawati have abandoned the people. The Congress is the only party standing by the people in their miseries.

Have the SP-BSP uttered a word on the Chinese intrusions and the shocking mismanagement of the corona (pandemic) and the lockdown? Only Rahul Gandhi is fighting Narendra Modi. People are watching everything.

Q: Still, Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati, or chief minister Yogi Adityanath, are state leaders. The Congress doesn’t have an effective local leader.

Lallu: Which leader has greater credibility and appeal than Priyankaji? And leaders should be judged by action and outreach, not reputation. All our leaders are constantly among the people. Not only me, every leader is reaching out to the people.

I come from a small family, I don’t have the reputation of Akhilesh Yadav or Mayawati but I am always amidst the people. I don’t have the financial clout of those leaders but I can share the pain and struggle of the people with greater intensity.

I am a man of struggle; both my legs were broken — I stand up because there are iron rods in both my legs. There are even now 38 cases against me and all because of my struggle for the people. After becoming the UP Congress chief (in 2019), I have been arrested 21 times. I am telling you these things only to explain how the

Congress is doing pro-people politics in the state.

Q: So you will improve your tally or be in a position to win power?

Lallu: I can’t say anything about it now. Everything is possible in politics. We are not done yet. But we are working hard. If we manage to convince the people that you have been cheated and fooled for three decades, there will be change. People have to be explained how they were denied development and prosperity in the name of caste and religion. The moment people realise this, the Congress will be back in power.