NW18 Exclusive | 80 vs 20 not Hindu vs Muslim, 'but 80% are progressive and 20% destructive', says UP CM Yogi Adityanath

moneycontrol.com:

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in an exclusive interview with Network18's Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi on February 4, said his "80 vs 20" description of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections is not targeted against any community.

Adityanath said that by 80 percent, he refers to the "progressive section of the population who want development, security and welfare schemes" and 20 percent - those who are against him - is "the destructive section that is against development and supports rioters".

The saffron-robed politician said his relation with the Muslim community is the "same as theirs with mine". His government believes in "development for all and appeasement of none", he underlined.

Adityanath also commented on the media speculations of a rift between him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Dismissing such speculations, the chief minister categorically noted that "there were no disagreements with the PM".

"Every Indian will acknowledge the fact that under PM Modi's leadership, the country is emerging as a global leader".

'300+ seats for BJP'

Adityanath was firm in his belief that the BJP will secure more than 300 seats in the forthcoming polls. The party had, in 2017, won 312 out of the 403 seats contested.

On the challenge posed by the Samajwadi Party-led alliance of regional parties, the chief minister said there was a larger alliance in 2017, "and an even larger alliance in 2019".

"But what was the result. We won with a landslide in 2017, and in 2019 we won 64 out of the 80 parliamentary seats of UP. The BSP emerged a distant second with 10 seats and SP was restricted to five," he said.

The surveys which are currently projecting less than 300 seats for the BJP "will prove wrong", Adityanath claimed. "The party