 "BJP will win all seats in Gujarat comfortably, says Parshottam Rupala")
Parshottam Rupala, Union minister of animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Rajkot for the Lok Sabha election, speaks to Nivedita Mookerji in Rajkot about his controversial remarks on the erstwhile maharajas and its impact on Kshatriyas and Rajputs in the Saurashtra region. Edited excerpts:
Voters in Rajkot are upset with your recent comment. Won’t that impact the election result?
Please meet the voters and ask yourself. It’s not true that voters would not elect the BJP. Only a ground zero check will reveal the truth.
Do you have any regret?
It was not good (what I said). I have already given a public apology on that…
So you don’t think the disappointment among the Kshatriyas would show in voting?
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I believe that people will vote for the BJP, there’s no doubt about it.
Do you think your party will bag all 26 seats in Gujarat?
Quite comfortably. It is the Opposition that created a negative environment (mahol bana diya hai) after the remark.
What are the voters’ expectations here that the BJP will meet?
Voters are looking at issues of national importance. So, I would say they are the security of the nation, development of the country, and trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Do you agree that the 2024 elections are being fought on Brand Modi?
Definitely, yes.
What is your personal aspiration now?
I will want to work for the public and do whatever Modiji wants.
What are the portfolios that you would want if you win and are made a minister?
That is not even a subject of discussion (woh vishay hi nahi hai).