To defeat the Congress party in its pocket borough — the Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar Parliamentary constituency — has always been a challenging task for the BJP. But this time, the saffron seems to have played its electoral cards in this parliamentary constituency under a well thought out strategy by fielding its senior leader Bhagat Singh Koshiyari. So amid high hopes and daunting challenges at the same time of unseating the Congress party which is expecting a consecutive third win in this seat, Koshiyari talks to Rajendra S Markuna, sparing sometime from his busy election campaign schedule for the days ahead. Excerpts:
How confident are you about your victory in the Nainital-Udhamsinghnagar lok Sabha seat which is considered to be a Congress strongholdIJ
I am fully confident to win this seat. The fact is I have never asked for party ticket from this constituency. It’s the desire of the people that I should contest from here. Keeping in view of people’s sentiments, my party has decided to field me from this seat and that very wish of my electorate gives me the confidence to win this seat for the party.
Why do you think people should vote for BJPIJ
There is a wave in favour of the BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. The Congress is terribly afraid of Modi’s wave today. The people of this country are with the BJP. As a matter of fact, people of this country gave an opportunity to Congress-led UPA Government, but it had badly failed to deliver its promises to the people over the years. It has done nothing to solve even the basic problems of the citizens. People are totally fed up with this Government. So people need a change and the BJP is ready to meet the expectations of the people if it is voted to power.
What is your vision about solving major local issues like drinking water crisis, which have plagued this constituency, particularly Haldwani, for a long timeIJ
First of all Jamrani dam project was proposed to cater drinking water to the people around. Now, to give a concrete shape to this long pending project is my top priority. If the contentious issue on Tehari dam could be solved, so why can’t we see the light on Jamrani dam projectIJ Besides, my focus will also be on how to improve transport facilities including rail and aviation networks and to promote tourism by way of identifying new tourist destinations. Keeping in view of the increasing vehicular traffic as we have been witnessing in different areas of this constituency, the BJP has also a plan to bring in flyover system to ease inconvenience to the commuters if voted to power.
How you are going to revive the industrial sector in Nainital-Udhamsinghnagar which was once a major industrial hub in the StateIJ
The industry sector plays a significant role in creating jobs apart from strengthening economy of the hill State. But industrial growth has not been so impressive during the past few years. The BJP-led NDA Government gave a special industrial package and SIDCUl was created. So I will work to give a push to the industrial sector so that industry sector could grow well and it is in my priority list as well.
What is your plan to promote the agriculture sector which is the mainstay of the economy and moreover the region plays a key role in agricultural growth of the StateIJ
The BJP has mentioned in its manifesto in detail how to promote agriculture sector if it comes to power. So we will definitely work accordingly and would provide a level playing field to the agriculture sector protecting interests of the farmers.
What are the other major issues that are going to dominate the BJP’s poll campaign ahead to woo the votersIJ
There are major burning issues before the nation like unprecedented level of inflation, corruption, unemployment, bad governance etc. which have badly hit the routine life of a common man. The Congress that claims to be with common man has done nothing to address the grievances like high inflation during the past many years. Corruption has only made things difficult for the nation. So development and good governance will be top priority of the BJP to provide a people friendly clean and corruption free Government and the party will strongly focus on these issues during the election campaign ahead.
How would you put up a united face to challenge the electoral battle ahead after an open revolt within the party while distributing ticket for Nainital-Udhamsinghnagar seatIJ
There is no such rift. It is natural when sometimes expectations do not fall in line. So it was an initial reaction. Now, all is well within the party and we are concentrating on the election preparations ahead as a unit. Hopefully, we will win all the five lok Sabha in Uttarakhand with comfortable majority.
How are you going to take on the Congress in this seat where the BJP is in direct electoral conflict with it in this lok Sabha election tooIJ
The people of this constituency gave the Congress a huge opportunity to serve them but as I have said it had failed to live up to the expectations of the people during the last ten years. It has done nothing to solve the long pending local issues of this constituency like the drinking water crisis. To address the burning locals issues is our top priority.
How would you take on the Congress, which is now fielding its sitting MP KC Singh BabaIJ
Individual contest holds no significance for me. I think the battle is being fought on how to provide good governance to the citizens; how to improve their routine course of life by solving the burning local issues on priority basis.
What do you view the role of the State Government in dealing with the Himalayan tragedy in which Uttarakhand suffered human tragedy in mass scale in the heights of Chardham Yatra route and other parts of the State in last monsoonIJ
The Congress-led State Government has totally failed in managing things post natural catastrophe. The then Chief Minister had to lose his chair on the charges of failures of his Government in extending a helping hand to the needy. But as we have been saying for long, it is our top priority to reach out to the victims of this Himalayan tragedy if the BJP is voted to power.
How are you managing your election campaign as you have also been assigned the responsibility of campaigning for other leaders of the party as a star campaignerIJ
People of this constituency are with me. I am receiving huge response from the people during my travelling in different pockets of this Nainital-Udhamsinghnagar lok Sabha seat. As far as campaigning for other party leaders is concerned, many senior leaders of the party are campaigning across the country so I am. So there is no any problem in managing things.