As a young man, he migrated to Mumbai in 1971 to earn a livelihood. After initial struggles, he started his political career with the Congress and emerged as north Indian face in Maharashtra by late 1990s. He rose to the position of Mumbai Congress chief, won assembly polls, and held the portfolio of minister of state for home affairs. In 2021, he switched to BJP.53 years on, Kripashankar Singhthe BJP candidate from Jaunpuris back to his native place, with a plan to usher in industrial development here so that local talent is no more forced to leave their homes to search for job avenues.
In an interview with Rajiv Dixithe shares his vision for Jaunpur. Excerpts.
You started your political career with Congress and achieved a lot. What prompted you to switch to BJP?
There is a major difference between the BJP and Congress. In BJP, they do what they say while in Congress, they don’t believe even on their own words and commitments. The recent examples are abolition of article 370 in J&K and consecration of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. All those who opposed these moves can never be an Indian. This, and many more reasons, guided me to bid goodbye to Congress and join BJP.
Gangster-turned-politician Dhananjay Singh has extended his support to you. His supporters and your rivals claim that you played tricks to oust him from the Lok Sabha poll battle. Your take?
I am an ordinary soldier of the BJP. If my opponents think that I am so strong that I can dictate the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party, I can only salute their thinking.
Your political base is in Mumbai. What brings you back to Jaunpur?
I decided to come back because things have changed drastically here, especially after 2017. In the past seven years, developments on the infrastructure front have been made outstanding. If people will bless me to serve Jaunpur, I promise to usher in major growth in the industrial sector so that the youths of this place do not have to migrate to big cities in search of livelihood options.
You were a strong and influential leader during the 10-year rule of the UPA govt. Why did you not make efforts to bring about this change in Jaunpur back then?
Had the change, which is visible in Jaunpur and UP after 2014 and 2017, been started after independence, the people from this district and other parts of state would not be forced to migrate to big cities. It was painful for me to leave my home for Mumbai in 1971 in search of livelihood. But such was the story of every sixth north Indian. Despite Jaunpur giving many CMs and PMs, nothing concrete happened here. However, instead of blaming others, including Congress, for poor development of this region, I want to assure the people to bring about the change in the next few years only.
In an interview with Rajiv Dixithe shares his vision for Jaunpur. Excerpts.
You started your political career with Congress and achieved a lot. What prompted you to switch to BJP?
There is a major difference between the BJP and Congress. In BJP, they do what they say while in Congress, they don’t believe even on their own words and commitments. The recent examples are abolition of article 370 in J&K and consecration of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. All those who opposed these moves can never be an Indian. This, and many more reasons, guided me to bid goodbye to Congress and join BJP.
Gangster-turned-politician Dhananjay Singh has extended his support to you. His supporters and your rivals claim that you played tricks to oust him from the Lok Sabha poll battle. Your take?
I am an ordinary soldier of the BJP. If my opponents think that I am so strong that I can dictate the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party, I can only salute their thinking.
Your political base is in Mumbai. What brings you back to Jaunpur?
I decided to come back because things have changed drastically here, especially after 2017. In the past seven years, developments on the infrastructure front have been made outstanding. If people will bless me to serve Jaunpur, I promise to usher in major growth in the industrial sector so that the youths of this place do not have to migrate to big cities in search of livelihood options.
You were a strong and influential leader during the 10-year rule of the UPA govt. Why did you not make efforts to bring about this change in Jaunpur back then?
Had the change, which is visible in Jaunpur and UP after 2014 and 2017, been started after independence, the people from this district and other parts of state would not be forced to migrate to big cities. It was painful for me to leave my home for Mumbai in 1971 in search of livelihood. But such was the story of every sixth north Indian. Despite Jaunpur giving many CMs and PMs, nothing concrete happened here. However, instead of blaming others, including Congress, for poor development of this region, I want to assure the people to bring about the change in the next few years only.
