With Atal-Advani era almost over, the new,mantra for BJP is 'NaMo' or Narendra Modi, the firebrand leader and current Gujarat Chief Minister. The party rank and file feels that Modi’s elevation as National poll panel chief will boost BJP and help it come to power at Centre in the 2014 polls. Narendra Dash of The Pioneer spoke to BJP State president KV Singh Deo on the impact of the Modi magic on the State electorates, besides the party's election preparedness and a host of other issues.
Please tell us something about Narendra Modi effectIJ
Modi effect will have a substantial and determining impact on then State politics and the BJP’s prospects in the next lok Sabha as well as Assembly elections.
Why it is soIJ
See, the people of the State as well as the Country are hungry for good and efficient governance both at the Centre as well as at the State level after they have been fed up with the non -performance of the UPA Government led by the Congress at the Centre and the BJD Government at the State. Both Narendra Modi and Naveen Patnaik started around same time during 2000-2001 as Chief Ministers. See what Modi did to Gujarat, be it industry, or agriculture. He brought in a turnaround in the economy of the State. When he took over, the backbone of Gujarat industrial base, especially the textile sector, was in a bad shape. He brought in perceptible changes in the industry and agriculture sectors and hence established his name and fame. The growth rate of agriculture of Gujarat is around 10 per cent, which is much higher than even national average. This happened due to the imaginative policies and strict and time-bound actions and policy implementation of Modi. In contrast, Naveen Patnaik is more focused on short term election -oriented gains. Be it Re1-a-kg rice, distribution of blanket, laptop, mobile to voters, all efforts are to gain cheap publicity and get on to power by any means. He is not interested in long term development of the State. NRGES and other social security and job guaranteed schemes are non-functional due to massive corruption.
Can Modi bring BJP back to power at the CentreIJ
Definitely. We will come with 200 plus seats on our own at the Centre and form the Government.
But, where from all these seats will come as BJP is almost blank in south India, barring Karnataka, besides in Assam and West BengalIJ Its position in Bihar and UP is not well eitherIJ
When tsunami comes, which side it will affect and which side it will leave, nobody knows. Modi is just like tsunami. We expect reasonable number of seats from the States, which are not our traditional strongholds like West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. In UP, we expect 35 seats as per media projections and will do extremely well in Bihar.
What about the position in OdishaIJ
We expect 11-14 seats in lok Sabha elections and a single majority in State Assembly.
\\Don’t you think the projections are over expectations and not in tune with the ground realityIJ
Not at all. I am telling from my own personal experience and feedback we received from various meetings, protest rallies, Jana Sampark Yatras and personal contracts that we undertook in 18 districts of our State. People are totally disgusted with the BJD and want a change.
What is your strong pointIJ What new promises or programmes, the BJP will offer to the electorates which BJD has not or could not doIJ
Our strength is our committed leadership, dedicated caders, strong ideology and love for motherland and countrymen. That's why we are called a party with a difference. As for the party programme, we will give maximum stress on agriculture, irrigation, agro-processing industries, value-based mineral industries and downstream industries. Our special focus will be on basic education and health care, so that delivery of the services reaches to the needy and poor.
It is generally believed that the BJP is strong in western Odisha than in coastal and south Odisha. What step, after you took over, you want to take to strengthen the organisation in these areasIJ
We are equally strong in all the regions of the State. We are focusing on the total State and not to any region in specific.
What is the status of a possible alliance between BJP and Odisha Jana Morcha allianceIJ
let me clear one thing, BJP will fight all 147 seats on its own, without alliance with anybody. Perhaps Pyari Babu spoke off the cuff to some BJP MPs about the alliance in Delhi. I spoke to Rajnath Singhji about this and he clarified me that no decision will be taken without consent of the party's State unit.
How far your royal lineage or background helped you to build up your political careerIJ
It definitely helped me in my political career. But, it is one aspect of the story. You need to dedicate yourself and work for the people to get elected again and again.