Uttarakhand: Namo’s popularity and double engine power is the basis of our victory – Mahendra Bhatt

Devbhoomi resides in the heart of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His thinking towards the state remains important for the economic prosperity of the state. The schemes worth more than Rs 1 lakh crore received by the state in the last 10 years prove this. Along with this, under the guidance of the Prime Minister, the Dhami government is also taking steps for the all-round development of the state. The strength of the double engine is visible in the state and in the Lok Sabha elections we are in the public eye only on the issue of development. This is what BJP state president Mahendra Bhatt has to say. Dainik Jagran’s Kedar Dutt had a long conversation with Bhatt in the light of the Lok Sabha elections. Presented are its main parts.

• What are the works of the state government which will be useful in the election field?

There is a double engine government in the state. The Center has generously given funds for the development of Uttarakhand. The state has achieved major achievements in the form of all-weather road, national highway improvement, road, railway and air connectivity. If we talk about the level of state government, the state has already got the Uniform Civil Code law. It will be implemented soon, in which the interests of everyone including women have been protected. There has been qualitative improvement in the health sector. Every person in the state has been taken under Atal Ayushman Yojana. Both husband and wife are getting old age pension. Provisions have been made for scholarships for talented students, reservation for sportspersons, 30 percent horizontal reservation for women in state services and 10 percent horizontal reservation for state agitators. The law has been made strict to prevent forced conversion in the state. The government has launched a campaign to free government land from encroachment. Strict laws have been brought in to control the rioters.

• What else do you have in the elections except Prime Minister Modi?

-Prime Minister Narendra Modi is our leader. Uttarakhand resides in his heart. His thinking towards this state is important for its economic prosperity. Development remains the main issue at its center. The Dhami government of the state is also taking steps for the all-round development of the state under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi. The government has taken many historic decisions. There is a resolution to bring Uttarakhand into the category of best states by the year 2025. In the elections, we are presenting the achievements of the Central and State Government among the public.

• What is the basis of hat-trick on the five seats and on what basis is this claim being made?

-See, in the year 2014, the people of the state gave all the five Lok Sabha seats in the state to BJP. After this, in the year 2019 the party got 20 percent more votes. On the basis of the wind of development that has been blowing in the state since 2014, the people of the state are going to support the BJP this time too. Our target is that BJP should get 370 more votes at each booth in the plains, while at the hill booths it should get 10 percent more votes than last time. The public has full faith in the BJP and on this basis we are saying that this time 75 to 80 percent of the votes will go in favor of the BJP.

• Congress considers the votes of Scheduled Castes and minorities as its own. How much stake does BJP have in this?

Congress has always done appeasement politics. Its situation has become such that whenever there is a topic related to the nature of Devbhoomi, the statements of Congress in it enrage the public. Everyone was angry with the attitude of Congress regarding the life consecration of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. When we brought Uniform Civil Code in the state, the statements made by Congress regarding it were absurd. The weapon that Congress used for vote politics by spreading confusion in the society has now ended. This is the reason why today people of minority community are thanking Modi. Prime Minister Modi is most concerned about the poor and deprived sections of the country. Schemes have been brought with the vision of Sabka Saath-Sabka Vikas-Sabka Vishwas and this is Modi’s guarantee.

• Congress is making a strategy to corner on local issues, what is your strategy?

-Opposition Congress is issueless. He has no subject. She is doing politics on our issues. The job of Congress has become to oppose our good works. The Congress has no support from the public on the issues it is raising. Recently, Congress raised the issue of Vananthara Resort issue, but the public is satisfied with the speed with which the government took action in this matter. Now the matter is in the court, but Congress is becoming a laughing stock by raising questions on the court also. As far as our strategy is concerned, we are keeping the issue of development at the forefront.

• Urban areas are considered big vote banks of BJP, but the condition of cities is bad. What do you say.

I accept that at many places steps could not be taken as per public expectations. There is a reason for this also. With the expansion of cities, the population is increasing. Many gram panchayats which had taken urban shape were made municipal bodies. In such a situation, expectations increase. However, if we compare the situation now with that of 10 years ago, the situation has improved. Civic facilities have developed. The government has taken decisions strictly with public participation. In future, more efforts will be made for qualitative improvement in cities.