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Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar says the wind is blowing in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s favour in Maharashtra. In an interview with Sanjay Jog, Parrikar, who addressed poll rallies in Mumbai, says people prefer one-party rule and a stable government. Excerpts:
Why are the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying special attention to Maharashtra?
What’s wrong in it? Maharashtra, with 48 Lok Sabha seats, comes second after Uttar Pradesh, which has 80 seats. It is but natural for our party to focus on such an important state. The BJP will form the next government in Maharashtra. Other parties will be routed in the Assembly polls.
Rivals have targeted the BJP for organising a record 23 rallies of Modi, alleging that you have no credible face to seek votes?
Why are they criticising the BJP and Modi? The prime minister is our leader who has led the party to victory in the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP is quite confident of its victory in Maharashtra, too. This will help the party increase its numbers in the Rajya Sabha.
As regards those who are targeting our party and Modi, do they have any credible face and capable leaders? The Congress is projecting its former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan being clean and a transparent administrator and the party is contesting the polls under his leadership. Chavan cannot escape from corruption charges, as he shielded a couple of ministers involved in various scams. Chavan should have stepped down earlier, instead of continuing to lead the Cabinet with scam-tainted ministers.
As far as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is concerned, Ajit Pawar is known for his arrogance and his alleged involvement in the Rs 70,000-crore irrigation scam. Do you expect people to give their votes to them? I have full faith in voters who will wholeheartedly vote for the BJP in Maharashtra.
Is the BJP organisationally strong enough to win a majority in Maharashtra?
The BJP is geared to win the Assembly polls. I tell you the voters will prefer a one-party rule for good governance and transparent administration. Voters gave a clear mandate to the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. A similar trend was witnessed during the Assembly polls held in Goa, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Karnataka. So, such a trend will be seen in Maharashtra as well.
What is your party’s poll plank?
We are approaching voters with Modi’s development message. Besides, the BJP is exposing Maharashtra’s downgrade in all sectors during the 15-year rule of the Congress and NCP alliance. Both the parties looted the state. The BJP is committed to regaining Maharashtra’s lost glory.
