BJP MP and candidate for the Nizamabad Lok Sabha seat Dharmapuri Arvind has expressed confidence that the saffron party will bag at least 12 of the 17 seats in Telangana. In an exclusive interview with TNIE’s Manda Ravinder Reddy, the sitting MP from Nizamabad says that the BJP considers Congress to be its main rival in the state with the BRS nowhere in the picture.
Excerpts:
Who is your main opponent in Telangana, Congress or BRS?
Throughout Telangana, the Congress is our main opponent. BRS candidates will not even retain deposits in all constituencies. The people of Telangana have rejected the BRS in the recent Assembly polls.
On what basis are you seeking votes, Modi’s work or the Ram temple?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a brand of our party and he is our leader. He is the most popular leader not only in the country but also worldwide. Definitely, the BJP will seek votes on the development done by Modi in the last 10 years. We seek Lord Rama’s blessings for a grand victory.
Phone-tapping during the BRS regime is becoming a hot topic now. Your party’s M Raghunandan Rao is demanding that BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao be made Accused no. 1. What is your response?
I have no idea about it. But phone-tapping by the previous BRS government is a matter of concern.
Do you think your phone was also tapped?
I don’t know whether they tapped my phone or not. But I am not afraid of phone-tapping as I have not done any robbery.
What is your take on the implementation of the six guarantees by the Congress government?
How will the Congress government pool money to implement its six guarantees? People are not believing that these guarantees will be implemented. How will the state government generate funds to implement these guarantees? The government should give clarity on these questions. In my opinion, the Congress government has failed to implement its guarantees. The Congress betrayed the people with six guarantees.
Will Kavitha’s arrest have an impact on the elections in Nizamabad and Telangana?
No one is showing concern about Kavitha’s arrest. People are not at all discussing her arrest. Her arrest will not have any impact on the elections.
In the recent Assembly polls, you lost in Korutla. What will be the result in this election?
I will definitely win, and win with a huge majority. In the Assembly election, though I lost, the BJP managed to get as many votes as the Congress in the Assembly segments that come under the Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency. Our party’s vote share increased. It will help me win the Lok Sabha seat.
Though the Centre announced the Turmeric Board, the BRS is alleging that it is not operational...
BRS leaders lack even basic knowledge about this issue. The Government of India issued a gazette notification and finalised the day to start operations. I am the person who tried for the Turmeric Board to help farmers. Farmers are happy with this, but BRS leaders are spreading lies. They should stop spreading lies.
How many seats will the BJP win in Telangana?
I am confident that the BJP will get at least 12 of the 17 seats in the Lok Sabha elections.