‘Will get absolute majority in K’taka’
LARGER VIEW Amit Shah takes assertive stand on victory in the Karnataka assembly polls as well as the 2019 general elections
BELGAUM: In the middle of an intense election campaign, between a public meeting and a road show in north Karnataka’s Belgaum district, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah spoke to Prashant
Jha about the stakes and issues in the elections, the dynamics in different states, larger national politics, and the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Edited excerpts:
What is the importance of the Karnataka election in national politics?
Every election is important in national politics. But this one is particularly important for us because success here will open the doors for the BJP in the south. We will win an absolute majority.
What are the big issues in the poll?
The government has failed on all fronts. More than 3,500 farmers have committed suicide; there has been a 173% rise in farmer suicides — the highest in the country. Law and order is in tatters. Anyone can walk into any Bengaluru restaurant, shoot someone, and the police do not even register an FIR (first information report). The city has been handed over to (KJ) George, (NA) Harris and Roshan Baig. The Congress policy of appeasement will destroy it. The Congress thinks these three candidates are fighting for the party in three seats. But they are symbolic of the poor law and order in the state and this is working against the Congress in 224 seats.
Twenty-four RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) and BJP workers have been killed and no action has been taken. The Congress has allied with the same SDPI (Social Democratic Party of India). I have never seen this kind of appeasement anywhere. Karnataka’s whole development is jammed in the traffic of Bengaluru. Its infrastructure has declined in the last five years. There is an environment of anger against this government. The central government has given over ₹3 lakh crore to the state. The ₹2.19 lakh crore given to the state for schemes under the 14th Finance Commission has not percolated to the ground. The Modi government has also given ₹80,000 crore for the Bengaluru metro, suburban metro, PM irrigation scheme, roads, railways, Mudra, Ujjwala. People will compare the level of development here with that of BJPruled states. PM Modi’s popularity is a big asset for us and it is clear citizens are with him.
Doesn’t your plank of corruption get undermined with BS Yeddyurappa as the party’s CM face and your association with the Reddy brothers?
Let’s be clear on this. There were allegations against Yeddyurappa. He had to leave his position. The BJP took the decision. Which allegation is proven? None. The high court quashed all charges; it said they were manufactured. He did not even have to face trial.
There is no case against the two candidates we have given tickets to. You can’t just go on the basis of propaganda. We took action against Yeddyurappa irrespective of the truth of the charges. The CM (Siddaramaiah) is shamelessly wearing a watch which costs ₹40 lakh. The Congress does not even ask for an explanation.
How has the Congress decision to give separate status to Lingayats played out?
If the Congress had done this right after forming the government, people could take it seriously. When you are gheraoed (fenced in), feel you would not be elected, and then you take a decision, no one will take you seriously. The UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government itself rejected this in 2013. The intention is vote-bank politics.
What’s your model of social engineering here?
There is no need for it here because all sections are angry with the government. It doesn’t matter who you give tickets to.
But is there anger among Dalits, especially in the wake of recent controversies?
These controversies are not visible on the ground here. I have extensively interacted with Dalit leaders, NGOs and students. Remember, the BJP has the highest number of Dalit MPs and MLAs.
Would it be correct to say then that the BJP is inclusive party, but only an inclusive Hindu party?
The BJP has never done politics on the basis of religion. That is the spirit of the Constitution. You should see a voter as a voter, not on the basis of religion.
You have made a promise for farm loan waivers in Karnataka. What’s your larger policy on this?
We promised farm loan waivers in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Farmers are in a dire situation and need support. There have been so many suicides here; people are not getting (the right) prices.
The farm loan waiver is not a medium to win elections. In Maharashtra, we decided after the election, based on an assessment, that farmers needed it. It is a need-based decision. We have thus decided to waive off loans of up to ₹1 lakh from nationalised and cooperative banks based on realities of Karnataka.
Why do you remember Pakistan and Mani Shankar Aiyar each time elections approach?
Not us. The Congress fields both Pakistan and Mani Shankar Aiyar, as elections approach, for Muslim consolidation. I have no problems being absolutely blunt about this.
It is now four years of the Modi government. What is its big achievement?
We have touched 22 crore families directly — 3.5 crore gas connections have been given; 1 crore households across 19,000 villages have got electricity; 7.5 crore households have got toilets; 29 crore families have bank accounts, 10 crore children have got vaccination. Even if you were to account for overlapping numbers, we have made an effort to uplift the standards of living of 22 crore people. The Modi government has also increased India’s prestige worldwide; strengthened Indian security. We have taken difficult decisions. We decided on One Rank One Pension, which was left pending for 40 years; we have committed to one-and-a-half times the Minimum Support Price for farmers; we have committed to giving ₹5 lakh health support to 10 crore households, which is 50 crore people. People have enormous faith in Modi-ji. We will return to power in 2019.
Your support base among the poor may have expanded with these policies, but has support among your core voters – the middleclass – dipped?
We have won all urban elections. We have won all local body elections in urban areas since 2014. It has not dipped. In fact, we have added to it.
How do you see the efforts of opposition parties to unite in states such as UP?
There is time for Lok Sabha elections. We are preparing to win 50%.
50% vote share?
Yes.
So if all others come together...
If we have 50%, all others can come together and it does not matter.
How do you see Yogi Adityanath’s performance?
His government is doing well. There has been unprecedented improvement in law and order and the condition of farmers in one year.
In UP, all castes backed you, but are backwards and Dalits now moving away?
Castes help you win when you have a leader. In UP, we did not have a leader. We won on a casteless platform, on the platform of governance.
Will antiincumbency harm you in the next set of state elections where you are in power?
Anti-incumbency is not to do with the government’s existence and duration, but to do with governance and the attitude of the leadership.
If it has performed well, there is the benefit of being the incumbent. In Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, last time too, there was this talk of antiincumbency after 10 years. We will do well in all three states.
In Rajasthan, you have not been able to decide on a party chief. Is there some controversy?
No. The current chief has resigned. He has been asked to continue till a new person is appointed. Consultations are on and we will take a decision.
There is talk of differences between you and the CM (Vasundhara Raje) on the state chief?
No. Differences don’t happen like this. That is for the media to write. I am here, and have been busy in Karnataka.
What do you think of the new Congress under Rahul Gandhi?
I haven’t thought of it carefully.
But they remain a major force.
Of course, Congress is a big party, an old party, but it has shrunk. It is been reduced to three states. And we will know what happens here on May 15.
So the primary challenge is from regional parties?
Every region has different dynamics. Even now, there is a direct face-off between the Congress and the BJP in 250 seats.
What’s your dynamic with the Shiv Sena?
Let me emphasise this: the Shiv Sena and we will fight elections together.
After TDP quit, what’s your reading of Andhra Pradesh?
I haven’t gone there yet. But our organisation in Andhra has spread. No one can ignore us.
Chandrababu Naidu alleges you are with the YSR Congress.
There is no such understanding.
West Bengal is seeing violence in the run up to the Panchayat polls, with Trinamool blaming you.
Who is getting hit in the violence? Will we hit ourselves? The Trinamool Congress is spreading violence to preserve its existence. But it won’t succeed. We will win 22 seats in the 2019 elections.
In Odisha, after the Panchayat polls, it seemed you have become a real challenger. But has the Biju Janata Dal made a comeback?
The Congress has collapsed. We are the main competitors. When there is anti-incumbency, the primary challenger benefits. And there is severe anti-incumbency against the BJD.
In Tamil Nadu, does the situation remain worrisome for you?
Our support base hasn’t expan- ded to the extent it should have.