‘People will vote against the illgovernance of present govt’
Arun Chaturvedi, a minister in the Vasundhara Raje cabinet, and district Congress committee president Pratap Singh Khachariyawas are in the assembly poll fray for the Civil Lines constituency in Jaipur. Both the BJP and Congress candidates talked to HT. While Chaturvedi claimed that people will vote for development, Khachariyawas said people will vote against ill-governance.
What are the main issues you are fighting on?
My focus is on the overall development of my constituency. I will restart the development works which were stalled by the present government. One of my focus areas would be to enroll children of slum dwellers and the poor in good schools through the right to education (RTE). Every time people say their leader should be honest, I ask them why only the leader? The voter should also be honest, so that the deserving candidate can serve them.
How do you rate the performance of the present MLA?
When I was the legislator, Civil Lines was declared as the best constituency by the joint assembly committee. The present MLA has not been able to fill potholes on the roads. People are getting interrupted water supply. Due to non-utilisation of funds, the local area development fund for this constituency has lapsed. Two hundred water huts (pyau) were started by me; they are not at all functional due to the carelessness of the present MLA.
BJP workers of the constituency allege discrimination in works (during your tenure). They say you have not focused at all on certain areas.
The allegations are baseless. Projects, such as elevated road to reduce traffic, underpass at Gurjar Ki Thadi, sewage connection with Gopalpura, and connecting colonies in my area with the Bisalpur water supply project, were all mine.
Why should people vote for you?
I have not involved myself in politics of caste and community. For me every person is equal and a citizen of India. I had done it and I will continue to resolve the problems of people. What I need is the support of people, so that I continue with my efforts. This time people will vote against the ill-governance of the present BJP government.