After Barkha Dutt’s exclusive interview with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, viewers had a lot to say, and a lot to ask.
So Barkha tuned in to answer a dozen or so of the most relevant and insightful questions posed by our viewers. Have a look at some of the discussion that went on.
Q. Why are you dividing people with Muslim and Hindu while covering the election?
Barkha: I am not dividing anyone. These are real factors in all elections.
Q. Does SP have a realistic chance of retaining power?
Barkha: They have a chance for sure. From being a four-cornered contest, this could become a bipolar one between SP-Congress vs BJP.
Q. Netaji ka future kya hai? (What is the future of Mulayam Singh Yadav?)
Barkha: What Netaji does is the big question. Will he play a spoiler or will he support his son? He seems to be in a Kabhi Haan Kabhi Na dilemma.
Q. Do you think BSP will eat out SP-Congress votes and help BJP win?
Barkha: Guess the big question is whether BSP is able to pick up a part of the Muslim votes or whether it all consolidates behind the gatbandhan.
Q. Why is the Congress slogan not “27 saal UP behaal” except Akhilesh Sarkar?
Barkha: I asked him that too. I think he believes that Congress will provide an incremental advantage and help consolidate his support base.
Q. What did you [Akhilesh] do for Muzzafarnagar riots’ Muslim victims?
Barkha: His position is that he regrets the polarisation of Muzaffarnagar. That is what he has said repeatedly in interviews.
Q. What do you think the role of Sheila Dixit will be in the elections?
Barkha: I think she has no role. Sheila was forced into this election and then I guess had to backtrack. In a way, used and abandoned, I would say.
Q. [Akhilesh] did a wonderful job in the last 5 years, so why offer freebies like mobile phones?
Barkha: Akhilesh Yadav shared in this interview that when he first started distributing laptops, there was huge resistance from the old socialists who accused him of diverting from the party’s core values! Imagine!
Q. What do you think about Dalit votes? If the majority goes to BSP, don't you think it will be difficult for gatbandhan?
Barkha: I wouldn’t dare to look into a crystal bowl. But I think the gatbandhan has given the SP and Congress a mathematical advantage. Now it’s all about chemistry. Not just maths.
Q. Will the UP elections be a referendum on notebandi?
Barkha: That’s a great question. I don’t think notebandi is the most major issue at all in these elections. However, I think that the BJP set up civil poll victories as an endorsement for notebandi. So they may be reminded of that no matter what the outcome.
Q. I have been told even till now that UP has problems with currency shortage. So much problem for poor people. I was in UP for a month in November, the condition was so horrible. The shortage of currency made people leave UP in November-December.
Barkha: Yes, currency shortage was of course there, but the smart political messaging by the BJP on it and the inability of the opposition to create it into a major issue means that more than notebandi it is Akhilesh Vs ? that may decide this election.
Q. What about Goa and Punjab ma’am? What’s your opinion about these two states? Is there still this so called 'Modi wave'?
Barkha: Let’s not forget that the BJP swept UP in the Lok Sabha elections. I find the personal popularity of Mr Modi is still very high. But the BJP not having a local face is costing them, I think. As one voter said to me... “Modi can’t come and be CM. So who is their face?”
Q. Will he make the state safer for women?
Barkha: Well finally with the state helpline for women and the BJP talking about an anti-romeo police squad, at least women’s safety is being debated centre-stage.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)