HARSH MALHOTRA, the BJP candidate from East Delhi

Do you feel that the BJP rewarded you with a Lok Sabha ticket for your grassroots

work? A: BJP has 17 crore workers, each with specific roles. The party chose me for the Lok Sabha candidate, and I will do my best to fulfil this responsibility.

Q: You have worked as a councillor and mayor at the ground level. How will you handle the greater responsibility if you win the election?

A: As a mayor, I was responsible for two parliamentary seats, which was significant. Now, as a candidate for East Delhi constituency, where I was born and have worked extensively, I understand the local issues and will work on them diligently.

Q: People in East Delhi complain that previous MPs rarely visited the area, causing dissatisfaction. How challenging is this for you?

A: There is no challenge because PM Modi has done a lot of work. In Dilshad Garden, four colonies that were slums have been notified and are now getting pucca houses. Similarly, other slum areas will also be notified.

Q: What is your vision for East Delhi’s development?

A: There are many tasks, but some are crucial. CM Kejriwal talked about opening 500 schools but did not open even five. He also promised to open 20 colleges and hospitals but did not fulfill them. We need multi-specialty hospitals and large colleges. Also, we will work on cleaning the Yamuna river, aiming for a riverfront similar to Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati.

Q: The Yamuna’s pollution has been a persistent issue, despite the efforts of numerous governments. What is your plan for addressing it?

A: We should install water treatment plants at 18 major drains that flow into the Yamuna to treat the water before it reaches the river. This would reduce 70 per cent of the pollution. However, the Delhi government’s budget of Rs 3,000 crore for this was misused.

Q: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is in jail and allegations were made that the investigation agencies are working on the Central government instructions. What impact do you think this will have on the elections?

A: Kejriwal avoided responding to the summons in October 2023. If the liquor policy was legitimate, why was there corruption? There’s no clear answer. In the old policy, contractors received a 2 per cent commission, why was it increased to 12 per cent? The ED and the CBI are autonomous bodies and act independently.

Q: Why do you think the BJP won the Lok Sabha elections but lost the MCD and Delhi Assembly elections?

A: The BJP won 106 out of 250 seats in the MCD, which isn’t considered a loss. AAP has been in power for seven years and made false promises about transforming Delhi. No substantial work has been done on the Ghazipur landfill. BJP MP Gautam Gambhir reduced the landfill by 15 meters using his funds.

Q: In 2024, 6 out of 7 sitting MPs in Delhi were not given tickets. Why was this done?

A: This doesn’t happen in the BJP; the decision to give tickets is made by the parliamentary board. Working or not working doesn’t matter here.

Q: Do you think there’s resentment among those leaders who didn’t get tickets?

A: I don’t think so; everyone works within the party, even those not given tickets.

Q: Is inflation a significant issue according to you?

A: I don’t think inflation is a problem. Compared to other countries, our inflation rate is lower. No one has complained about it to me.