Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday downplayed reports that she would be the BJP's CM candidate in the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh in 2017.
"Uttar Pradesh is an opportunity for us to bring to the fore the resurgence of faith we have seen in the development capacity of BJP. I am a worker of the party and what will make me happy is a majority in the state," she told CNN-News18 in an interview.
On being asked whether she will be the party's face in the state, Smriti said, "Party leaders and president Amit Shah will decide on the CM face."
Smriti was at her constituency in UP's Amethi, traditionally a bastion of the Gandhi bastion, on the day the Narendra Modi government completed two years in office.
The minister also took potshots at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi when asked whether he would be a threat to the BJP if he led his party in the UP polls.
"Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka are a threat to their own party than to us," Smriti quipped.
On Thursday, several Union Ministers, BJP leaders and party workers were criss-crossing Uttar Pradesh, highlighting the achievements of the government in the politically important state.
Elections in Uttar Pradesh are due in early 2017, and none of the parties are missing any chance for political mileage in the politically significant state.
Claiming an increase in the number of party supporters, Smriti said, "There has been a surge of BJP supporters from 30,000 to 3 lakh in just 20 days. We could take from 30,000 to 3 lakh in just 20 days is evidence to the fact that people want a change and they want leadership which can deliver on promise of development."
Highlighting the achievement of the government, Smriti said, "There is a multi-dimensional aspect from economic surge to international acceptability with the success of schemes like Jan Dhan, Suraksha Bima Yojana and others."
“The fact that people have been consistently with us is a hallmark of this government," she added.
Comments
0 comment