BENGALURU: BJP Election in-charge and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan says social engineering methods envisaged this time helped the party carve out new areas of influence for its social base. In an exclusive interview with The New Indian Express, he expressed confidence that the new method would guarantee BJP victory in the coming polls. Excerpts:
Six days to go for the polls, how is the situation looking for BJP?
BJP is confident of getting a clear majority, as appealed for by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior BJP leaders during campaigning. We are confident of getting the blessings of the people of Karnataka. We are confident the people will repose their faith in BJP and its leadership, especially PM Modi, good work done by the Karnataka government under the leadership of CM (Basavaraj) Bommai and BS Yediyurappa before him. All this good work will convert to re-electing a new BJP government.
But many surveys are showing an edge in favour of Congress…
I don’t think that is the ground reality. There are surveys that are also showing an edge to BJP. I am not getting into debates of which survey is showing what. The ground reality is there is no issue with Congress. There is politics of performance by the BJP. I am confident the people will repose their faith in development and growth. In the past 75 years, Karnataka citizens have experienced everything. Congress was in charge in the state and Centre for a very long period. In those days, what have they done for Karnataka? What did they do when they were in power from 2013 to 2018?
What are the factors helping BJP in Karnataka?
There are multiple factors. People’s faith in BJP’s plan, policies and leadership. That is why the slogan ‘double-engine government’. People know that Congress will make Karnataka their ‘ATM’, which they did from 2013 to 2018. With the social engineering methods envisaged this time, BJP has carved out new areas of influence for its social base. We have implemented a sub-categorisation of the long-standing demand of the SC community. For the first time in the country, we have enhanced the quota for STs from 3% to 7%, and from 15% to 17% for SCs. We have abolished the unconstitutional religion-based reservation and redistributed it among Lingayats and Vokkaligas. This kind of approach will create an additional social base for BJP. We are breaking new ground and I am confident this kind of social engineering will guarantee us certain victory.
Congress says Lingayats are moving away from BJP?
Everything will be clear on May 13 (election results day). The people of Karnataka, especially the Lingayat community, have not forgotten what Congress did to the great Lingayat CM of Karnataka Veerendra Patil. Their leader Siddaramaiah said all Lingayat CMs are corrupt. He is accusing the community.
Will PM Modi’s rallies be the gamechanger for BJP?
Certainly, PM Modi is the chief of our campaigning strategy. He is leading from the front and explaining to the people the work we have done, the aspirations we have to fulfil, and promises we have fulfilled. The PM himself is articulating to the people of Karnataka, and so are our other leaders, including CM Bommai, senior leader Yediyurappa, national leaders like JP Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah and others.
BJP says it doesn’t discriminate, but your manifesto promises free LPG cylinders only for Ugadi, Ganesh Chaturthi and Deepavali. Why is that?
Festivals are part of our society and we will give it to every body. Ugadi is a festival for all. It is a new year, there is no point in any discrimination. Where is the discrimination? If we say we will give cylinders to XYZ and not to ABC, then that is discrimination.
What was the logic behind changing so many candidates? Was it to beat anti-incumbency?
... otherwise you would have said there is no newness. Society expects freshness, newness and a generational shift. BJP is a dynamic and very progressive party, everywhere we go for generational shift, freshness and new talents. A scientific and fresh approach was adopted. Society welcomes this approach.