ELECTIONS '98 COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

'This is not a party of devtas'

Does this problem worry the BJP?

Even if a low-level worker leaves, we are concerned. Loss of one vote + 1 worker. He damages the party just a little bit. But this is not a party of devtas. Devtas also fight amongst themselves. This is not a heavenly party. It is a party on earth. We are people of the earth. We have our good and bad points. And what will you make a judgement on?

You will have to choose from 3, 4 parties available. Somebody that has no defects would be god. But the best party will be the BJP and only the BJP. We are a party of human beings. But I do say we are the best party of human beings.

It is being said the rise in prices is the fault of the BJP government. How will you change that impression?

It is not an issue here. What price rise? In this constituency it is not an issue. Sonia Gandhi went to Mandsaur. I was in Mandsaur three days ago. She gave a speech saying "…in Delhi onion are Rs 50 per kg." And in Mandsaur onions are selling at Rs 8. What is this? Are votes dependent on pyaaz, mullee, bhate, bhajee? People are laughing in Mandsaur. Do I have to give an answer to this? This is a matter of amusement.

It is true that the people in big cities have had a problem, for a while, with price rise. But the prices have somewhat normalised. The press has played this up so much as if the sky is falling. It has been made an issue in the cities. Let us see if it has an effect.

In Bhopal the prices of vegetables have risen.

So should the government sow, grow and determine the prices of vegetables? Should Atalji sell sabzi?

But in the people's minds, when something goes wrong they blame the government.

This is in the minds of you city people. And you are all so intelligent. Should the government sell onions? We are not living in a country of controlled markets. The market moves on supply and demand. The only thing the government can do is to prevent commodities from being exported or import commodities from outside. And we must decide what to spend our foreign exchange on. Or not. There has not been any action by the government that has made prices rise. There was bad weather. What can the government do?

But it is said the government was exporting onions as late as September.

These things take time to happen. It does not happen overnight. This is a democratic system. We have to go with it. We cannot switch on and off. The price of alu-pyaaz (onions-potatoes) always goes up in summer. When there is no rain. Or when the crop is ruined. Can the government fix the crop? All this cannot be put at the doorstep of the government. It will not be as if when the Congress comes to government alu-pyaaz will be available.

They have made it an issue. They have issues with which to blame the government. They say, "There are fights daily in the central government." We have parties with us. We have to take all of them with us and run the government. This incredible task only Atalji can do. Bhate bhaji is not an issue.

What are the issues this election?

The issue is: How did he run the government? And for three years how did we run the government in the state? This is the issue. There is such terrible corruption. Lawlessness, crimes against women. Murders on small issues. People will vote on this. They are trying to divert attention. But no matter how much they try, the issue before us is not alu-piyaz, but government performance.

What work have they done in government? What good have they done? If all this has been going on about prices, have they caught anyone? They have not touched anyone. What can Atalji do here? He cannot do anything. Digvijay can. He can be considered doshi (responsible.)

How does the tribal factor affect the politics of the state? It is said the BJP has garnered a fair amount of scheduled caste votes over the years, but that the scheduled tribes are still with the Congress.

We have been working in the Adivasi areas since the Jan Sangh days. Since the Jan Sangh days ST votes have come to us in good numbers. We have done a lot of work in these areas. Struggled. Fought battles. There is no area or constituency where the BJP or Jan Sangh has not done work. Now the numbers are increasing further.

What are the figures? Do they lean towards the Congress?

No. When I came as CM with 220 seats, a large chunk was SC/ST. Much more than the Congress.

What about Jhabua?

Yes, Jhabua is a place where we have not won seats. There is a lot of Congress support there. Chhindwara is an area where we have not won in 50 years. Now we will win. There are places that are still difficult for us... Rewa… For the first time in 50 years we won. Nobody can get 100/100 in an exam... should not either. We must have some opposition. Yes, there are constituencies where we are weak. But we will open our account there too.

A recession is on in the country. How difficult is it to fight an election in these days of shortage of funds?

We are getting very little funds. About 75 per cent less. Lots of problems.

What kind of problems?

(laughs wryly). When there is no money in the country that is the problem. You have to spend your days in poverty. We have to cutback on everything.

The election campaign in Bhopal is very quiet. Is that because of a shortage of funds?

Ever since Seshan came, he has controlled the whole situation. He did a bit of over-action. But there have been good results. This urge to spend money...to show off…banners, posters. flags, nara, jeeps… has decreased. Funds have been saved.

After Seshan the Election Commission has not been that strong, so all this has started up again. But there has been an overall change. A change of generation. A change of system. The media has improved. This chillahat (sloganeering) and show has no effect on vote decisions.

As the likely winning party, do you get more funds?

Us? More than the Congress? But they are in government. One thing is sure: If the candidate feels he is losing, he thinks why waste money and keeps it in his pocket. That happens in the Congress. It is their nature.

EARLIER FEATURE:
In Armani glasses, the Jain from Mandsaur makes a bid for power

Assembly Election '98

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