BENGALURU: Even as the BJP is facing dissent in several Lok Sabha segments, BJP National General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Dr Radha Mohan Das Agrawal says there is no serious internal issue and they are confident of winning all 28 seats.
Excerpts.
What is your assessment of the situation?
We are going to win all 28 seats. They (Congress) already lost in Bengaluru Rural. After Dr CN Manjunath’s entry, the fight is between corrupt versus honest. He has given his entire life to the poor and doesn’t have money to contest elections. On the other hand, they have only money. I will not talk about where they got it as people are aware of it. Dr Manjunath’s personality is like Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personality as both are working honestly. We respected his honesty and spirit of service.
What gives you the confidence to say BJP-JDS will win all 28 seats?
I have been here since the last one-and-half months and toured all over the state. I was an MLA for 20 years and know how to understand the pulse of people. Abrogation of Article 370 and finding a solution to the Kashmir problem; enhanced respect for Indians living abroad and people here feel proud when they see Ram temple in Ayodhya as Karnataka had a special role in Lord Rama’s victory over Lanka as Kishkindha forest is here. Will people tolerate it if the “Pakistan Zindabad” slogan was raised in Vidhana Soudha? Would they like it if a shopkeeper playing “Hanuman Chalisa” was assaulted? You want to impose a 10 % tax on temples. Even Aurangzeb had not imposed so much tax in ‘Jizya kar’ which was 2.5 % tax. There was an explosion in Bengaluru after Congress government came to power. People of the state are watching all the developments and they will give a befitting political treatment to Congress.
Congress says they have implemented the guarantee schemes...
People know there is no guarantee for the Congress guarantees. What happens after the Lok Sabha elections will be worth watching. You give guarantees, we do not oppose it. But you will not be able to give it for long. You will give this lollipop till the Lok Sabha polls, and after that, it will not work for a long time. In the last 10 years, the Government of India implemented many welfare programmes.
Congress says the Centre is not cooperating with the state and there is a disparity in tax devolution.
Compared to 10 years of UPA government, during 10 years of NDA government, per capita devolution of funds is 247% more, per capita devolution to developmental projects is 152% more, per capita allocation to the Railways 333 % more, and per capita welfare schemes was 140 % more. Telling lies is Congress’s old habit.
You had recently stated that after LS polls, there is no guarantee about the Congress government…
There are two reasons for it. Congress has forcibly pushed eight to nine ministers into elections. None of them want to contest polls. Even Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who was MLA for nine terms and MP for two terms is not contesting from Kalaburagi as he knows that he will lose the elections. Ministers were asked to field their children or they will be removed from the cabinet. They will all lose elections and Siddaramaiah will drop them from the ministry. The internal fight will start in Congress.
If that happens, what will be the BJP’s stand?
BJP will just sit and watch the developments. If they can run the government, let them do so. We are not in a hurry. We will defeat them in the assembly polls after four years, before the next Lok Sabha polls.
What about BJP’s internal issues in several constituencies after candidates were announced?
Everyone knows we will win all 28 seats so it is natural for the BJP leaders to have a desire to contest the elections. I do not see any serious internal issues in any part of the state.
Will you convince senior BJP leader KS Eshwarappa?
I do not think there is any need to convince him. We need to worry if he files a nomination and does not withdraw it. Even now he says he is working for Modiji. He is a senior member of our family. We don’t have to convince him, he will be convinced on his own.
Congress accuses the Centre of misusing agencies. How do you respond?
Did we ask the Congress leaders to be corrupt? All are equal before the law. Agencies are doing their work. It is not correct to politicize the agencies.