What difference do you see in these polls and the previous elections?
Polls make no difference for me. I have contested for MP elections and worked for many too. During poll season, we will ask for votes, otherwise everything is routine work on normal days.
How are guarantee schemes impacting your voters?
We had given guarantee cards during the last elections. This made some difference in the results. However, people did not believe us completely, but we have implemented all five guarantee schemes. Because of the schemes, their lifestyle has changed. Irrespective of their caste or political party affiliations, people are saying it is helping them. This will help Congress in these polls. More than 80 per cent of beneficiaries, especially women, will vote for us.
This time, there is a BJP-JDS alliance candidate, how confident are you?
I have contested three elections earlier and compared to all three polls, I am more confident of winning this time.
BJP national leaders, including PM Modi, Union ministers and UP CM Yogi Adityanath are coming to Bengaluru Urban and Rural for campaigning, what is your take?
They have not tackled any of Karnataka’s issues, including the water crisis. In fact, Yogi Adityanath has taken our money and developed his state. There was a time when companies used to come to Bengaluru, now they are taking them to Ahmedabad. Modi’s hidden agenda is to damage the image of Brand Bengaluru. This will help them improve their states, special packages are given to Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, but not to Karnataka.
Do you think Ram Mandir will be an issue?
In Karnataka, there are many temples, there is no shortage of gods and temples here. People who worship only Rama in Karnataka are few. I am also constructing a Ram Mandir at my place, but am not beating drums about it. BJP is using Ram in these polls.
How do you see the JDS-BJP alliance, last time the same JDS was with you...
People who like me are in JDS and in BJP. They want to vote for me and this is because of my work. They know that if they lose me, it is a loss to their district. Former PM Deve Gowda knows they will not get votes and that’s why he got his son-in-law a BJP ticket. This shows how insecure they are.