The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), out of power in the Delhi assembly since 1998, is looking to make a comeback in the national capital. Its leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain spoke to Sanjeev K Jha about wooing voters from the Purvanchali and minority communities, and the party’s strategy for the coming elections. Edited excerpts:
Who will the minorities vote for in this election?
I believe that the minority communities have decided to go with the BJP for its “sarva-dharma-sambhav” (respect for all religions) thinking, and for development. I am in regular touch with the minority leaders of both the parties [the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress], and they allege that both the parties have categorically asked their spokespersons [from minority communities] to not appear in any TV debate. How long can these parties fool the minorities in the name of our party?
They (the AAP and Congress) feel that Muslims don’t have a choice but just them, so they have taken them for granted. Meanwhile, we believe in the idea of “sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas”. We won’t leave anyone behind. Each and every person who wishes for the betterment of Delhi, from curbing pollution levels, to development standards, to safe and clean water, good roads and adequate and liveable housings, we are with them.
What about Purvanchali voters?
With a 40% vote share, Purvanchalis will once again be a deciding factor in the coming assembly elections. But like minorities, they too have realised that the AAP and the Congress have so far used them as a means to an end, with respect to the chief minister’s chair, without giving them proper representation in the assembly.
The BJP screening committee leaders, however, have kept this in mind, and will give them proper representation.
They [the AAP and Congress] contested the 18th Lok Sabha elections together. Still, we beat them. Now, since they are participating individually, we’ll surely win these elections. The AAP didn’t work in areas that needed their attention and response. They feel schemes and freebies will bribe the voters, and help them win the elections. This is not going to work. No scheme will work this time.
Kejriwal has never been an “aam aadmi” (common man) himself. He was a “khaas aadmi” (privileged man). He and his wife have been gazetted officers in the income tax department. The attire of an aam aadmi, sweater, muffler and jhadu (broom) was used to fill his own pockets. The pollution in Delhi has not been addressed by his jhadu. Rather, now the AAP’s ideology has become polluted.
Does the BJP have a chief minister’s face in Delhi?
We don’t fight elections by relying on a face to win us people’s votes. We fight elections strategically — in some places we fight with a CM face, while in some we don’t. We fought the elections in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan without a CM face. We have an entire galaxy of good leaders to contest elections. Some are new, some are experienced. Even before Kejriwal’s political birth, the BJP had established political leaders and they are contesting in this election.
How many seats will BJP win?
We’ll win by 2/3rd majority. This time, Delhi residents are sure that they want us to form the government.
Delhi Police has cracked down on the Rohingya. Do you feel this is an issue that will impact the elections?
The Rohingya have not been given a place in Myanmar or Bangladesh. India is not a dharamsala (shelter home), right? Everyone can be accommodated through legal processes. No one is unwelcome here. But, they need to ensure that they have visas and not be uninvited guests.
We already have a population below the poverty line to cater to, and mobilise resources towards. We are taking welfare measures… Are we to take care of illegal immigrants too?…
Delhi has become a paradise for the Rohingya because [AAP chief Arvind] Kejriwal and [West Bengal chief minister] Mamata Banerjee are busy appeasing them.
But this narrative did not yield the expected results in Jharkhand for the BJP. Why?
There’s never one reason for winning or losing elections. Many other reasons played their part.