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‘Congress Forces Are Supporting AAP. But This Won’t Help It.’

The BJP's former national president on his party's prospects

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‘Congress Forces Are Supporting AAP. But This Won’t Help It.’
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Given the turbulence in the state unit, the BJP has put former national president Nitin Gadkari in charge of election work. Excerpts from an interview.

How do you view the Delhi elections?

These are the crucial semi-finals before next year’s Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP has been out of power for three terms. Will you be able to win this time?

With a strong base, there’s no reason we can’t win. In fact, we lost the last election by a narrow margin in terms of vote percentage. Now, there’s a strong anti-Congr­ess wave. We’ll win with a thumping majority.

Why do you think people will vote for you?

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People are fed up with the Congress misrule, both at the Centre under UPA-I and UPA-II and in Delhi. Everywhere, the election will be fought on the issue of corruption, law & order, inflation, rising prices. The people of Delhi have chosen a two-party system of sorts: the only alternative to the Congress in Delhi is the BJP and none else. People here don’t encourage regional outfits or frustrated individuals.

Onion prices have changed governments before in Delhi. They are at a high now.

Inflation has hit the common man badly. Most people in Delhi are literate and know the problems related to inflation. The overall mood is against the Congress, at the state and the national level.

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You have to fight the Congress and the AAP. What’s your strategy?

Our fight is with the Congress. There may be some other old and new parties, but they’ll do no better than independents. People don’t waste votes on independents.

Do you agree that AAP is dividing the anti- incumbency vote, dulling your prospects?

Other than the BJP and the Congress, no party has made a mark in Delhi. Those drea­ming of a hung verdict will be disappointed.

But look at the AAP’s proactive campaign.

Many such forces have come and gone. The Congress is in the habit of dividing anti- Congress votes. They use such tactics.

Do you mean to say the AAP and the Congress are hand in glove?

It’s quite visible—the kind of strength and resources the AAP is getting. Congress forces are supporting it. But this won’t help.

How do you see politics within your party, with its factions and differences?

I don’t understand. We’re not a mother-and-son party. I know there’s a scramble for tic­k­ets. There’ll be disappointments. I’ll ass­­ure everyone their work will be recognised soo­ner or later. But we won’t tolerate indiscipline.

Who will you project as the CM candidate?

We will go to the polls under a collective leadership.

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If your party wins, will you take charge as CM, given the kind of wrangling among leaders that is on in the state unit?

(Laughs) I’m only in charge of election work.

Do you think Modi is a fear factor in the politics of the state and the nation?

If the Congress can’t convince people, it tries to confuse them—this time, with the dirty politics of communalism versus secularism. They want to impute evil to Modi and the BJP. Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have seen more riots than Gujarat. See what happened in Muzaffarnagar.

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