People want results and BJP has shown it can deliver: Upadhyay

BJP state chief Satish Upadhyay is in a combative mood. He is not taking the Opposition lightly but insists that both Congress and AAP have been exposed because of their non-performance. He spoke on BJP's roadmap for assembly polls.
As BJP gears up for elections for the third time in a year, what is going to be your main focus?
We have to tell people about the achievements of our government at the Centre.It has started delivering on its promises.Petrol and diesel prices have been slashed for the first time in years.A lot of people have benefited from Prime Minister Narendra Modiji's Jan Dhan Yojna and other schemes. We will also tell people about the budget provisions for Delhi made by the central government. We have also launched a membership drive. I'm holding meetings in all parliamentary constituencies to gear up for elections.
You had earlier dismissed AAP as BJP's main opponent. Who is BJP's principal opponent in the elections this time?
Frankly speaking, the entire Opposition is our opponent. I won't underestimate Congress. You never know when that party may bounce back. For me, both Congress and AAP are important.BSP is going to contest on 70 seats. JD (U), SP and other political parties have their pockets and vote banks too. The media has projected the contest as one between BJP and AAP. I don't agree. All these political parties are our opponents.
What will be BJP's agenda for elections?
It is important to expose both Congress and AAP which have done little to find permanent solutions to Delhi's problems. AAP promised free water and cheap electricity but it didn't make any budgetary provisions under the plan head. It took money from the plan head to give temporary relief to people which lasted till March this year. Similarly, Congress, which had its own government at the Centre for 10 years, never tried to find a permanent solution to basic problems. Both parties relied on subsidy, which is not a solution.
People voted for AAP as they made big promises of eradicating corruption and providing an alternative to Congress and BJP . But by quitting in 49 days, they have lost the people's trust. He (Arvind Kejriwal) promised that he would take action against the corrupt Congress government. Despite swearing on his kids, he took support from Congress to form a government. He broke his promise and thereby lost the confidence of people. They did everything in a haphazard manner.
For the first time, the central government has made provisions for upgrading electricity and water infrastructure in the city. In the interim budget for Delhi, finance minister Arun Jaitleyji had given Rs 500 crore and Rs 200 crore from central government's funds for upgradation of water and electricity infrastructure, respectively .
AAP has on its own nominated your senior party leader, Jagdish Mukhi, as BJP's chief ministerial candidate. BJP has always projected a CM face. Why has the party decided not to do so this time?
All political parties have their own election strategy which they review from time to time. After the party's victory in Haryana and Maharashtra, it has been our conscious decision not to project a CM candidate. Narendra Modiji and our party symbol, lotus, will be the face of our party .
You wanted to contest elections last time but were not given a ticket. Will you contest this time?
I wanted to contest elections earlier but now I can't decide for myself. The party's senior leadership will take the decision. AAP and Congress have accused BJP of delaying clarifying its position on government formation in Delhi.
They blamed us for running away from elections and delaying the process but we can't be blamed. When AAP quit the government, Manmohan Singh was Prime Minister. If Congress and AAP wanted, they could have got elections declared then. Soon after BJP came to power at the Centre, AAP gave a letter to Delhi LG indicating there was a possibility of government formation. They created confusion. They accused us of poaching their MLAs. These were all baseless allegations. Our stand was clear from the beginning.
BJP's performance in municipal corporations, which it has ruled for seven years, has not been up to the mark. Do you think antiincumbency will affect the party's performance in these elections?
No, it will not. A perception has been created about the corporation. I agree there are problem areas and we need to do a lot but one has to see things in perspective. Both Congress and AAP made it difficult for BJP to run the corporations. Their powers were snatched and funds were not released on time. We couldn't improve sanitation due to shortage of funds. It is now that we have got funds and also land from DDA for waste disposal. Despite all the constraints, it is BJP which has ensured that pension is given to people on time. Through our e-governance project we have tried to make our functioning transparent and people-friendly. There are some problems which can be solved only once we have a government in Delhi. You will see a positive change in time to come.
The Dalit vote has shifted from Congress to BSP and then to AAP. Why has BJP not been able to tap this vote bank?
It has been a traditional Congress vote bank which BSP capitalized on in the past few elections. But in the recent Lok Sabha elections, it has shifted to BJP.With Udit Rajji (MP from Northwest Delhi), we have been able to connect with the community . We are going to JJ clusters and unauthorized colonies to tell people about the achievements of the central government. I'm sure, this time the community will vote for us in large numbers, as they can see the change.
Though AAP lost in a majority of assembly constituencies during the Lok Sabha polls, its vote share went up from 28% to 33% despite the 'Modi wave'. Is this a cause for concern?
Not at all. They are thoroughly exposed today . During the Lok Sabha polls, we told people what we will do when we come to power. Now, the results are visible. Within six months, the Government has started delivering on its promises.This will have a strong impact on the upcoming polls. People want results and we have shown that we can deliver.
Delhi has witnessed communal riots after many years. AAP and Congress have accused BJP members of creating communal tension. What do you have to say?
It is just propaganda by the parties.Take out the records from Delhi Police about communal tension in the past 30 years, especially during the past 15 years.We have to do a comparative study and only then can one say that it happened because of BJP. Delhi Police controlled the situation within a day . In Trilokpuri, the MLA was from AAP. There was an attempt to give a communal colour to the situation. The police did a good job and controlled the situation in a day . In Bawana, the BJP MLA and our workers helped the police to check tension. On the contrary , AAP tried to divide people on communal lines in Okhla by putting up posters. The police had registered an FIR against their leaders.
Do you think the party will be able to secure support of the Muslim community?
There was an attempt to create a fear psychosis but the Muslim community understands the reality . People trust us. People know that our government's focus is on development and communal harmony .
With its Swachhata Abhiyan, has BJP appropriated AAP's party symbol — broom?
No, I don't think so. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is not about a broom or cleaning our surroundings. It is about bringing about a change in people's perception.
AAP has decided to announced its candidates soon so that they get sufficient time for campaigning. Will BJP announce its candidates too?
Candidate selection will be done by our party leadership. Unlike AAP, our party follows a democratic system and it will take some time to finalise candidates. The decision will be taken by the collective leadership.
Will BJP repeat its MLAs? Are you getting any survey done to assess the performance of your MLAs?
The decision will be taken by the senior party leadership. Winnability will be the main criteria for candidate selection.