Sanjeev Balyan interview: 'BJP fighting polls on development, law & order planks in Western UP'

Muzaffarnagar riots were the epi-center of communal polarisation in western Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls which brought the BJP to power in Delhi. The sugarcane belt comprising the 10 districts in western UP has since been dominated by the BJP, both in the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.

DH’s Sumit Pande caught up with Union minister and MP from Muzaffarnagar Sanjeev Balyan who is seeking to win the seat for the third consecutive time.

Balyan says the BJP is contesting the issue of the development plank. He feels there is a need to have a policy or a law on population control and the Uniform Civil Code will be implemented in other parts of the country in the future. Excerpts of the interview.

Muzaffarnagar goes to polls in the first round. What are the main planks on which the BJP is contesting elections in western UP? 

The main issue is the work done by the central government in the last ten years under the leadership of Modi ji. Apart from that, in the last seven and a half years, there has been improvement in the law-and-order situation in the state under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. These are the two political planks we are contesting elections- development and law-and-order. As far as my constituency is concerned, I have been in touch with the people regularly. I visit every village once every six months, I try to be with the people in need. No one can say that the sitting MP is inaccessible to my voters. 

In 2019, you defeated RLD stalwart Ajit Singh from here by a very close margin. His son Jayant Chowdhury has now joined the NDA. How will this impact local politics? 

It’s going to help the alliance. At the village level in western UP, both BJP and RLD have an active presence on the ground. And when the two have now joined hands, this will only add to our strength. 

Does the BJP do well in western UP due to communal polarization in the region? 

We are not raising any such issue in this election. We are contesting development, work done by Modi ji, and the social welfare schemes introduced by him for the poor. For the first time, Muslims in good numbers are voting for the BJP. 

Are you also trying to connect with the Muslim community?

I’m confident of getting Muslim votes in good numbers. You go to Muslim villages, you will see BJP flags, you will see our workers campaigning, and this will also translate into votes.

You had once introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha on population control. Do you think this is an issue that will be taken up by the Modi government if it is given a third term?

I have always been in its favor. There is a need for a policy or a law on population control. I have raised this issue in the party and shall continue to do so in the future.

Western UP abuts Uttarakhand which has recently implemented a Uniform Civil Code. Will UCC be implemented across the country and in other states as well?

There is a mention of it in this year’s Union budget. I feel it will be implemented across the country in the future.