'BJP-JD(U) will score landslide win in 2020'

Senior BJP leader and Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi has been the chief trouble-shooter within the NDA in Bihar. Holding the portfolio of Finance Ministry since 2005 (barring a short span of 2013-17), SuMo, as he is fondly known, tells Abhay Kumar of DH that contrary to media perception of rift in the Bihar NDA, the relationship with Nitish Kumar is very cordial and the alliance is headed for a landslide victory during 2020 Assembly elections.

Excerpts:

Q. A section within the BJP has urged Nitish Kumar to make way for a BJP Chief Minister in the State before 2020 Assembly polls. How do you react to such demands?

A. I don’t react to such statements at all. Nor I would like to join such issues. I have already made my stand clear that Nitish is the captain of the NDA in Bihar. And this statement should put to rest all sorts of speculations.

Q. But still, there is a growing clamour within your party by leaders like Sanjay Paswan, Sachchidanand Rai…..

A. …(interrupts) …I would request the media to go by the statements issued by only the authorised party leaders like State president or party spokespersons…. The fact is that there is a very cordial relationship between the BJP and the JD (U). It’s equally true that we will contest the 2020 Assembly elections together and will return to power after getting a thumping majority… hopefully better than the 2010 Assembly results (when we won 206 seats out of 243 constituencies).

Q. But it’s equally true that Bihar is the only state in the Hindi heartland where the BJP, since its inception in 1980, has so far never had a Chief Minister of its own.

A. I would not like to comment on such issues.

Q. On the one hand, you say the BJP’s relation with Nitish is very cordial, on the other hand, the JD (U) is contesting Assembly elections in Jharkhand on its own and putting up candidates on all the 81 seats in the neighbouring State?

A. Every political party has a right to expand its base. The JD (U) performed well in recent Assembly elections, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh. Now, if it deems it fit to contest Jharkhand polls on its own, let it do so. It won’t affect our relationship in Bihar.

Q. As Bihar’s Finance Minister, you were once the chairman of the empowered committee of State Finance Ministers on GST. Recently, you remarked that there is no recession or slowdown in the auto sector. You were even trolled for saying there is a slump in every ‘Sawan-Bhado’ (months in Hindi calendar)?

A. I stand by what I said. However, let me make one thing clear. There is a difference between recession and slowdown. It’s true that there is a slowdown. But it’s a cyclic phase. There is a slowdown, not only auto sector, but also in other sectors during every Monsoon. And sale/growth will pick up once the festive season begins in Oct-Nov.

Q. Any particular reason behind this auto slowdown?

A. I feel there are six prime reasons behind this slump: First, Monsoon season. Second, Monsoon is followed by ‘Pitrapkasha’ where people avoid purchasing anything new. Third, conversion from BS-4 models to BS-6 models. Fourth, escalation of the price (of vehicles) after some safety features were added. Fifth, hike in insurance premium (for example, if you are opting for third-party insurance, now you have to pay for five years, instead of earlier provision of one year). Sixth, banks have adopted tough measures for loan disbursements

Q. It has been noticed that many people prefer to get their vehicles registered in Jharkhand, instead of Bihar, as the registration fee is quite low there.

A. I am aware of it. This is happening precisely because of all the States, the registration fee in Jharkhand is the lowest. We will ask the Transport Department in Bihar to get such vehicles re-registered in Bihar if the Jharkhand-registered number is in use in this State for more than a year.