How is your campaign going on?
Campaigning is going on very well in the constituency spread across two districts. As I was a member of the Legislative Council from these districts for two terms, I know the people and places, so campaigning picked up from day one itself. I have been interacting with a cross-section of people. Moreover, people are coming up openly (in my support), which is a good sign.
The issues being discussed...
Since this is a national election, it is focussed on nation-building and the nation’s future. And also on the ten years of strong and vibrant administration of Narendra Modi and his welfare schemes. The Jal Jeevan Mission is important because it ensures potable tap water to every household in villages. While I was chief minister, great emphasis was given on implementing it by releasing adequate funds and Karnataka was numero uno during my tenure in its implementation. As a water resources minister, I executed several small irrigation projects to irrigate over a lakh acres of arable land in the Haveri and Gadag districts. As an MLC, minister and chief minister, I worked for the development of the area. That’s why people here are happy and confident.
What are your plans for the constituency?
The future focus will be on completing ongoing irrigation and lift irrigation projects to ensure more irrigation coverage. Then there is a great deal of opportunity for setting up food processing units in Gadag. As Haveri falls on the Mumbai-Chennai Industrial Corridor, 400 acres have already been allocated and infrastructure is being built to realise the dream of industrialisation for the region. The textile sector is another area I am looking at and I want to replicate what was done in my assembly constituency, Shiggaon, in Haveri and Gadag.
Are the Cong guarantees impacting your campaign?
These guarantees have had little effect. Doling out of a meagre sum will not really add to the prosperity of households. Also, the government has failed in their implementation. For instance, only 30% of applicants got the benefit of Gruha Lakshmi scheme, and that too not regularly. So, uncertainty prevails over the benefits of these guarantees and people are aware of it. They do not make any difference in the election.