There's nothing like Home: Why veteran BJP leader Rajnath Singh poses a formidable challenge to Lok Sabha opponents in Lucknow
Rajnath Singh stands out in political life for a sober image and dignified words. His electoral appeal is strong enough in his home turf to make finding his challenger a challenge.
Rajnath Singh was once a teacher having long ties with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — when he was handpicked to serve the BJP. With a career spanning over four decades in politics now, Singh has had a mostly clean track record in the field. This is not something most netas can boast of.
As Singh files his nomination from the Lucknow Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh now, his political opponents are yet to find a heavyweight who can stand against him.
With just two days left for the nomination process to be completed, it now appears that Singh could have an easy walkover in Lucknow where he is also the sitting MP.
Rajnath, who was born in a farmer’s family at village Babhora, district Varansi (now district Chanduli), Uttar Pradesh, first contested from Lucknow, a seat held by former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in 2014. He defeated his nearest rival, Congress candidate Rita Bahuguna Joshi, by 2,80,000 votes. Joshi has since shifted to the BJP.
In the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, Singh had won from western UP's Ghaziabad.
He was chief minister of Uttar Pradesh between 2000 and 2002. After the then-BJP chief LK Advani had to resign over his controversial Jinnah comment, Rajnath Singh took over as party chief between 2005 and 2009.
Interestingly, while Rajnath’s gradual rise in the party is attributed to his proximity to Vajpayee, he was also instrumental in Modi’s elevation as the party’s PM nominee in 2013.
Rajnath was party president from 2013-2014.
Even as members of the LK Advani camp were reportedly projecting the veteran leader as the party’s prime ministerial candidate, Singh was pretty vocal in dismissing such rumours from time to time until Narendra Modi’s name was formally announced by the party.
Having served as agriculture minister in the Vajpayee government, Rajnath was elevated to the position of the country’s home minister when the Modi cabinet was finalised.
His clean image and wide acceptability within the BJP have helped Rajnath Singh remain a significant leader within the party.
He is also a good speaker who engages with his audience, frequently throwing questions at them. Singh also refrains from making harsh or incendiary statements that could incite the masses. But he doesn’t shy away from adding humour to his public addresses, which is the hallmark of a good speaker — Singh has perhaps articulated the best riposte to Rahul Gandhi's "Chowkidar chor hai" jibes directed at Modi.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Moradabad: Main kehna chahta hoon chowkidaar chor nahi hai, balki hamara chowkidaar pure hai. Agli baar usko PM banna sure hai, aur yahi bharat ki samasyaon ka cure hai. pic.twitter.com/KRhMVg2ZNr
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 11, 2019
An able administrator, Rajnath Singh got the Anti-Copying Act enacted and passed in 1992 as UP’s education minister under the BJP government. The tough legislation made copying a cognisable offence which was non-bailable and which reportedly allowed the police to enter exam premises to conduct checks. The legislation is, however, believed to have been one of the prime causes of the BJP’s downfall in UP in 1993.
As Rajnath holds a rally today, April 16, in Lucknow to mark the filing of his nomination, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath won’t be able to appeal to the voters to back him, following a gag order passed by the Election Commission — but with Rajnath Singh not facing any formidable opponent yet, Lucknow may once again hand over its MP’s chair to him.
(Lucknow goes to the polls on May 6)