Ayodhya issue should not be seen from political lens: BJP

As the close contest for the 402 UP assembly seats continues, BJP Vice-President Kalraj Mishra talks to The Sunday Indian's Avinash Chandra Mishra about his party's plans and strategies for the upcoming polls.

Q: What preparations have you made for UP elections?.

A:  Our election management committee has been preparing schedules of rallies of our prominent leaders across the state. Our main agenda will be corruption free state. BSP government has crossed all limits of corruption and has failed on every front.

Q: You have declared your candidates very late. Why so?

A: It is not so. We had released a list of 143 candidates even before election dates were announced. Our party believe in democracy and all decisions are taken by consensus.

Q: This time who will be your chief ministerial candidate. You are being touted as one of them.

A: It's a well established practice that legislators elect the CM candidate. After MLAs are elected they will decide their leader.

Q: Who BJP will alliance with after polls? BSP is being speculated as your post-poll ally.

A: Our national president has repeatedly said that we are fighting to win and if we don't get simple majority then we will prefer to sit in Opposition.

Q: There are reports of anti-incumbency in the party. What would you say?

A: Ours is a  big party and there could be differences in opinion. We will work with consensus.

Q: Will there be Ram Mandir issue in your agenda?

A: We have always maintained that Mandir issue is not a political issue for us. But it's a national issue. So this should not be seen from political lens.

Q: Will corruption issue prevails over all other issues in these polls?

A:We were the first one who had raised the issue of black money during 2009 general elections. Our leader LK Advani had clarified party's stand on the issue. And the anti-corruption movement by Ramdev and Anna Hazare has made the masses aware on this issue.