Q/ What makes you confident of a BJP win?
A/ In 2003, when the Congress was in power here, Madhya Pradesh was among the BIMARU states. It was lagging behind, be it in roads, electricity, water supply, and law and order during the time of the Digvijaya Singh government. When the BJP government was formed, the state moved from the category of BIMARU states to developed states.
In the 2018 election, the BJP had got more votes [than the Congress]. Technically, just by a difference of three to four seats, and on the basis of false promises, the Congress formed a government by accident. In the 15 months that they were in power, the Kamal Nath government worked on the directions of the same ‘Mr Bantadhar’ (one who brings about ruin)―Digvijaya Singh―who had taken the state through a phase of bad governance and turned it into a BIMARU state. The Kamal Nath government discontinued many welfare schemes, be it of the Central government or the state, and snatched away the rights of the poor.
For instance, the Ladli Laxmi scheme, which contributed to improving the gender ratio in the state, was stopped. The BJP government was depositing Rs1,000 into the accounts of tribal women. The Kamal Nath government stopped that. Financial assistance was being given to pregnant women―Rs4,000 during pregnancy and Rs12,000 after delivery. That was also stopped. Why? Kamal Nath said he did not have the matching grants to provide for the Central government’s housing scheme. But they had money to organise the IIFA awards around the same time in Indore.
They turned Vallabh Bhawan (state secretariat) into a hub of corruption in the 15 months they were in power. The money was found right at the top. And farmers turned defaulters when the government did not waive their loans. The Shivraj Singh Chouhan government helped these farmers pay their loans.
Q/ How many seats are you targeting this elections?
A/ Amit Shah ji had said in our meeting in Gwalior that we would strive to win more than 150 seats. That is our target.
Q/ With Narendra Modi leading the campaign, has the state leadership receded into the background?
A/ The state leadership is not in the background. Why should it be? After all, Prime Minister Modi is popular all over the world. He has brought glory to the country. In Madhya Pradesh, we are all working with team spirit. The BJP is a cadre-based organisation, hence as workers of the party, we are all going into the elections under a collective leadership.
Q/ Is it because of anti-incumbency that Chouhan is not being projected as the chief ministerial candidate?
A/ Not at all. Anti-incumbency exists only if work has not been done. Here, so much development has taken place. The lives of the poor have been transformed. Around 13 crore people have risen above the poverty line in the country, and in Madhya Pradesh, 1.36 lakh people have benefited similarly…. The BJP government has worked for every section under its ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’ mantra, and unprecedented measures have been taken to help the poor and carry out development…. Our brothers and sisters belonging to the minority communities would also agree that their lives have changed for the better under the BJP rule.
Q/ Why were tickets given to MPs and even Union ministers in this election?
A/ This is an electoral strategy worked out by the BJP leadership. Senior leaders of the party, be it cabinet ministers or leaders who are office-bearers at the national level, are our strength. The aim is to infuse more strength into our electoral fight. Our leadership has come up with an effective strategy to make use of this strength.
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- How BJP is trying to overcome 'Chouhan fatigue' in Madhya Pradesh
- Congress going the saffron way to win MP, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan
Q/ The Congress has named Kamal Nath its chief ministerial candidate.
A/ Kamal Nath ji is completely demolished. The situation is such in Madhya Pradesh Congress today that we hear Kamal Nath saying, ‘Go, tear the clothes of Digvijaya Singh’. A competition to tear [each other’s] clothes is going on. There is so much nepotism in the Congress―when the media asked Kamal Nath about when candidates for the seven seats of Chhindwara (his stronghold) would be declared, he said it will be done by (his son) Nakul Nath. The Congress is not an organisation. The Congress is splintered into groups, with Digvijaya Singh working for his son and Kamal Nath working for his son. It is a contest between their sons. They have lost their identity. Digvijaya Singh cannot face the people. Kamal Nath cannot move around much. The Congress workers are suffering.
Q/ Many BJP leaders have joined the Congress in the recent past.
A/ So many came to our party. A group of 28 leaders from the Congress joined the BJP. Their government fell. A few people with selfish interests, when they did not get a ticket here, decided to go to the other side. The Congress is devoid of leaders and is welcoming them. So if the Congress is ready to give them a chance only to lose, why should we worry? The BJP takes decisions based on what is good for the grassroots workers.