Both the BJP and the Congress have failed to plug policy loopholes in the governance system, says Anjan Deveshwar, an aircraft engineer who is fighting the Lok Sabha election as an independent candidate to present an alternative to common man.
Deveshwar, 41, is a self-admitted fan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he has identified himself as a chowkidar (a prefix opted on social media by many Modi supporters) even in poll affidavits. However, he has not officially changed his name.
"Perhaps I am the only candidate in the country who will have chowkidar title prefixed even on the EVM (electronic voting machine). I am not a fake chowkidar like many others including some ministers and BJP leaders," he told PTI.
Deveshwar is critical of Gurgaon's sitting BJP MP Rao Inderjit Singh.
"I also admire Modi ji like many people do, but that does not mean you should vote for a 'nikamma' (useless) MP again. Rao Inderjit Singh has never bothered about local issues, he should not get re-elected from Gurgaon. If people want to support Modi, they should vote for me, I will support Modi and also resolve issues concerning Gurgaon," he said.
In 2012, his erstwhile employer the Kingfisher Airlines was hit by crisis and Deveshwar had his first brush with leading a campaign when he demanded payment of pending salaries of his colleagues.
"This was the time of Congress-led UPA government and Vijay Mallya was out of the country roaming free. Now there is a similar situation in Jet Airways and it is happening with the BJP at the helm of affairs. This proves nothing has changed. The policies and the laws have gaping holes," he asked.
Deveshwar, who has got 'mic' as election symbol because he wanted to "give voice" to the common man's issues, said he once supported the Aam Aadmi Party too but now feels betrayed by it.
Asked if he is fighting the election merely for publicity, the aircraft engineer said he could just sit back as he is getting a good salary for his work in a leading airline, but he has come forward to change the perception that politics is not for white-collared people.
He said that while the issues of national security and religious sentiments were important, they were not going to affect a voter in Gurgaon.
"What we need is safety for women and girls, civic amenities, water, good roads, steer lights, affordable education, clean air, good law and order situation. These are the issues that the sitting MP is not bothered about," he claimed.
Deveshwar said as of May 8, he had incurred expenses worth around Rs 75,000 in campaigning and crowdfunded Rs 15,000, the amounts way lower than the maximum poll-expenditure limit of Rs 70 lakh per candidate as directed by the Election Commission.
He said he wanted to present an alternative model for common man.
Deveshwar, who lives with his wife and a child in the city, said even if he loses the election he is going to be active in politics and plans to get together more like-minded common people to fight the next assembly elections.
The Lok Sabha poll in Gurgaon is due on May 12. There are 24 candidates in the fray with five independent nominees and Rao Inderjit Singh of BJP, Ajay Singh of Congress, and Virender Rana of INLD among others.
Spread over eight assembly constituencies, Gurgaon has a little over 20.50 lakh voters, including 10.05 lakh women, and 35 third gender voters.
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