Coalition politics in India will end after this Lok Sabha elections: Harsh Vardhan

This Lok Sabha elections will prove to be a milestone as it will end coalition politics in the country, senior BJP leader and Union minister Harsh Vardhan said on Monday.

Vardhan claimed that there was no fight for him in the Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat, from where he is seeking a reelection.

"After the Lok Sabha elections, the politics of coalition will be finished as people are becoming more aware. It will be a milestone election for such politics," he said at a press conference.

The minister of science is locked in a triangular contest in the trader-dominated constituency, along with Congress's two-time lawmaker from the seat JP Agarwal and AAP's Pankaj Gupta.

 

"I have replied to journalists at least 21 times as to who is my nearest rival. So, I gave it some thought based on the feedback from people. I can say, there is no fight for me. There is fight between the AAP and the Congress for the second place," he said.

Vardhan said he worked sincerely for all communities as a lawmaker and expected support from them, including the minorities.

"I do not face any problems in campaigning among Muslims. I am receiving a lot of affection from them. In fact, in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, I had got more votes in two of the Muslim-dominated Assembly segments in the Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat," he said.

The minister asserted that there is a "desperate eagerness" among people, especially poor, to see Narendra Modi as the next prime minister of the country.

"People believe Modi has worked for their welfare honestly and sincerely. They believe he made start with meticulous precision and is deeply concerned about their well being."

He criticised Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the issues of full statehood and for non-implementation of the Ayushman Bharat healthcare scheme by the Delhi government.

"There could not be any bigger injustice to the people of Delhi on part of Kejriwal than his decision to obstruct Ayushman Bharat scheme," he said.

Vardhan said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is raising the issue of full statehood to divert attention from "failures" of its government's performance in Delhi.