I am ready to switch seat with PM Narendra Modi: Akhilesh Yadav

As we are already halfway into the big Uttar Pradesh election, chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday speaks exclusively to Times of India. During this half-an-hour interview with the TOI, Akhilesh talks about alliance with Congress, donkey remark and acronyms used by the politicians during Uttar Pradesh election campaigning.

Here are the excerpts from the interview:

On campaign for UP elections 2017
Claiming Samajwadi Party (SP) will cross magical mark of 203 in the Uttar Pradesh elections, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said that he is now urging voters to give the alliance partners a complete majority to form government in the state.

"I've a sore throat this time. Elections get bit hectic as we don't get that much live on TV like others. For being live on TV you have to do something else... we must do more rallies as compared to others," Akhilesh said.
On Prime Minister Narendra Modi

"I've always said that PM Modi has done lot of Man ki baat both on radio and TV. Now it's the time he should do "Kaam ki Baat". I want him to come to Uttar Pradesh and ask me what I have done during last five years? And I will tell PM, what I've done during all those years. But he is not interested in "Kaam ki Baat" as after that he too will have to inform people what he has done." While hinting his future ambitions, Akhilesh said that he is ready to exchange (adla-badli) with PM.

"PM Modi is so much interested in UP, let's change seats...why wait till 2019 we can do it now also...But for that he has to take a call."

On acronyms
"The opposition is running away from answering people and that's why they are coming up with such terms - SCAM, KASAB, etc. In schools children are taught "Ka se Kabootar (pigeon) and not congress". Interestingly, I even checked NCERT books to verify the fact," Akhilesh said while claiming that the BJP has lot of free time to divert attention of the people. "They talk about graveyards and crematoriums and we talk about laptops," he added.
On biased politics

In a veiled attack on BJP president Amit Shah, Akhilesh said, "He claims we were biased in distributing laptops among state's meritorious students. We don't believe in caste-based politics, they (BJP) should do research on our list. If we can do banking through smartphone, why can't from laptop? PM Modi showed us dream of digital India but he himself doesn't know how will India get digitalised."

"There were allegations that we provided more electricity during Ramadan as compared to Diwali. I must tell you that we gave uninterrupted power supply during Christmas too. I even provided 24x7 electricity supply to Varanasi after a MLA protested for the same. PM must appreciate this but he won't."

On donkey remark
"I've not pointed fingers towards anybody. I believe such ads shouldn't be aired and I had requested one of the great Bollywood actor that he should avoid doing such ads. In fact, we should have ads of national bird Peacock, national animal Tiger...But if PM Modi has felt bad then I would say...getting emotional and angry means you have lost the battle already. Rest it will be declared on March 11."
On alliance with the Congress

"I had said time and circumstances lead to taking some important decisions. I have aligned with Congress for the betterment of the state. I believe the alliance with Congress has made people confident that we can form a stable government in the coming days and it helps in building unity among the voters."

On Priyanka Gandhi
"I can't take decision on behalf of Congress. It's Congress and her to decide how and when she would like to campaign for the UP elections. She understands her party better. She will take a call on that."

Here is the full interview: