• The 2008 Kosi tragedy helped the JDU (then in alliance with the BJP) reap electoral benefits because of the relief work done. But it is now felt, after seven years, that no rebuilding has taken place. How will you face the people in the Assembly polls?
The important thing is how the public perceives the government's intentions. After the Kosi tragedy, the government had formed a commission at the highest level to probe reasons. Also, relief work was carried out at great speed to minimise people's problems. We were able to alleviate the agony and misery of flood-stricken people. We then started reconstruction and rehabilitation work from our own resources, apart from taking loan from the World Bank to carry out the recovery project. It has provided housing on a large scale to people, apart from giving infrastructure support, and this practice is still going on. The government tackled the tragedy well and people weighed our work. The project is not over yet, but its impact is visible, as it has positively affected the lives of flood-affected people.
| Know Vijay Kumar Choudhary |
| • Son of late Jagdish Prasad Choudhary and Sushila Choudhary, he was born on January 8, 1957, in Keota village of Dalsinghsarai town in Samastipur district |
| •Went to government school till Intermediate in science stream. Graduated in political science from Patna College. Did PG in same subject under Patna University |
| • Married to Ganga Choudhary and has two children. Elder daughter Ankita Choudhary works for an MNC in Mumbai. Son Shubhaditya Choudhary did MSc in economics from University College of London and works for a financial consultancy firm in Mumbai |
| • First became a Congress MLA in 1982 from Dalsinghsarai Assembly constituency. Re-elected in 1985 and 1990. In 1995, he lost election. Remained with Congress till he joined JDU in 2005. Contested from Sarairanjan but lost.In February 2010, he contested and won from Sarairanjan. In 2010, he became state president of JDU. Became minister for the first time in 2010 getting water resources portfolio |
• How will you counter people's grievances with a drought situation looming large in an election year?
It is true a drought-like situation is looming because of scanty rainfall, but everyone is aware, and we all know, that we have an excellent record in managing this kind of crisis or disaster. We foresee the situation and act beforehand. In this particular Kharif season also, because of deficient rainfall the situation is bad and might worsen, but we have already decided on a contingency plan on providing relief to the drought-affected people. In case of such drought-like situations we make provisions to give diesel subsidy to farmers to irrigate their farms with groundwater through tube-well and pumping set. We took this decision about one-and-a-half months back. Anybody would appreciate our preparedness. We also provide for contingency crop planning and seeds, free of cost, to farmers of such rain-starved areas. We have already stored seeds for such duration crops in the respective districts. We are also thinking of raising the amount of subsidised diesel given to farmers and of enhancing number of irrigation pumps for which subsidy is to be given.
• You recently said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a below- standard speech against the chief minister. What will you do if Modi keeps up this kind of attack on Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad?
Anybody can see that the language the Prime Minister used at Muzaffarpur was not only objectionable but also condemnable. He questioned and castigated the DNA of Bihari people. In other words, he simply abused Bihari blood. This is not expected from an important leader of the stature of Prime Minister when we all know this Bihari DNA. It was Bihari DNA that provided the first President of India, Rajendra Prasad, Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan and even Mahatma Gandhi (Champaran movement). After all, Gandhiji chose to launch his freedom struggle from Bihar because he could recognise the strength and purity of the Bihari DNA. So, it was unbecoming of the Prime Minster to use such derogatory language for Biharis. In fact, we Biharis are proud of our genes and DNA and so far as Nitishji is concerned, under his leadership, the Bihari DNA has shown how, with limited resources, we have grown at the fastest rate in the country. People of the country, particularly from Bihar, will see who used such derogatory words for Biharis and teach them a suitable lesson.
• Lalu Prasad has been very unpopular among the upper castes. How will you convince your uppers caste support base while keeping company with Lalu?
The important thing is, not just upper castes, but all sections of society look up to Nitish's leadership. Any responsible and sensitive citizen who goes by his or her heart will definitely back Nitish. It is also evident that we were not influenced by the BJP's ideas and principles, even though we were in alliance with them under the NDA. Rather, even in the BJP's company, we pursued our own principles and agenda for governance. In no case, were we ready to dilute our stand on important political and ideological issues. To a great extent, the situation will remain the same even now. Ever since we parted ways with the BJP and the RJD decided to support us, we have not experienced any difficulties pursuing our agenda of good governance and development with justice.
• Your alliance consists of people convicted in corruption cases and the BJP consists of people accused of fanning communalism. Which of the two - corruption or communalism - is, according to you, a bigger threat in the context of Bihar?
Both communalism and corruption are threats not just to politics, but also to society. It is always desirable to pursue politics devoid of corruption and communalism. I won't claim there are no controversial persons in our party, but what matters is whether such a person is influencing functioning of the government and agenda of governance. Anyone would appreciate that no person connected to communalism or corruption has, in the slightest manner, influenced the Nitish government's policies. So, our government's USP would be to function in an upright manner and not compromise on issues like corruption and communalism.
• What feedback have you got from people vis-à-vis the JDU-RJD-Congress alliance?
The feedback we have received so far is more than encouraging. Laluji has his own support base. At the same time, we cannot deny the existence of the Congress and capping all is the most trusted and creditable leadership of Nitish. The combination of these parties and the NCP makes it a formidable formation and if everything goes on track, we are definitely going to sweep the forthcoming Assembly elections. People still have unflinching faith in the positive and developmental foresight of Nitishji, under whose capable leadership Bihar progressed at such a pace that not just people in Bihar but the whole nation and world took notice and admired it. So, I don't see any reason why people would want to sideline or disappoint Nitish.
• You started your career as a Congress leader. Now your party has forged an alliance with the Congress. What is your take on this alliance?
It's a fact I started with the Congress, as I come from a traditionally Congress family. My father was a die-hard Congressman. He represented my constituency as a Congress member in the Bihar Assembly. I, too, had represented the constituency as a Congress member in the Assembly for three consecutive terms. But since the emergence of Nitish, I could see, thanks to my experience in politics and parliamentary life and having watched government functioning from close quarters, the creditability and trustworthiness of Nitish's leadership. Even today, I don't see anybody across party lines in Bihar who can match Nitish in capability, foresight and grip on issues of governance. So, I decided to join the JDU under Nitish. Given today's political scenario when the Congress and JDU have come closer, it's all the more desirable that I remain in this alliance.
• Nitish has said he made a mistake by choosing Jitan Ram Manjhi as chief minister. Do you think the Manjhi factor is going to work against your alliance? In fact, do you think Manjhi is even a factor as far Dalit and Mahadalit votes are concerned?
I would not like to comment on the issue of making Manjhi chief minister as the JDU legislature party had authorised Nitish to nominate the leader of the legislature party. I think, Nitish must have seen something positive in Manjhi while deciding his successor but as accepted by Nitish himself, it went wide off the mark. So far as Manjhi being a factor is concerned, I do not see any reason why he should be a factor. Why should people consider someone who ditched his mentor a factor? He would always be remembered in political circles as a betrayer and negative character. Even otherwise, Manjhi did not give any new direction or focus to government programmes pursued and executed after being started under Nitish's leadership. So, I think he did nothing for which he should become a factor.
• What would you have been had you not entered politics?
I think I was destined to be a politician. I worked for some time in a bank and I had political backing as I belong to a political family. I had seen politics from my childhood and always took it as a challenge to be in politics and contest elections. So, I was destined to be a politician and never hesitated on this front at any point.