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| Edited By: dna Correspondent |Source: DNA |Updated: Aug 04, 2019, 06:00 AM IST
As the elections are around the corner, Dhananjay Munde, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council headed DNA's Newsmaker initiative this week. Munde spoke about the desertions faced by his party, issues with EVMs, NCP-Congress alliance and more. He also opened up on party's plan to overpower the ruling BJP. The NCP leader also stressed on how he does not see a true claimant to the legacy of his late uncle Gopinath Munde
A. Nobody thought that BJP would win with a majority of 303 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. It was not possible for them to win over so many seats. This is nothing but the political corruption of the BJP. They created a situation where our leaders were lured to join them. The same happened in 2014 as well. It was because of greed that these leaders joined BJP. Where are the leaders who quit to join BJP now? Where is Shivajirao Naik, Vijaykumar Gavit and Narayan Rane? NCP is still going strong despite all the shocks. There is no difference. People are watching the political corruption of the ruling party and they are angry. None of the promises made were fulfilled in the last five years. When you speak of 100% BJP, why do you need Congress and NCP leaders in your party? You also spoke of Congress Mukt (Congress free) India, however you have become Congress Yukt (Congress enriched) instead. Under the Maha-Bharti (mega recruitment) drive many leaders who were with the NCP for years joined BJP. This has also enraged many BJP leaders in the party.
A: There is no groupism in the NCP. Our party is like family. Chitra Wagh left the NCP because her husband who is a government employee was under the scanner of the BJP run government's agencies.
Few months back, her husband's office was raided by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) and the peon who was arrested revealed that her husband was one of those allegedly involved the corruption. These allegations may not be true, but the incumbent government leaders are using the government machinery to pressure her through her husband's inquiry. Therefore, she was forced to join the BJP. Chitra Wagh was on senior state BJP leader's radar for long time. When the NCP had decided to expose the 'Our government' advertisements campaign, that time Chitratai was leading this campaign for NCP. She visited many places where the development was claimed by the government and she brought the reality in light that no any such development was undertaken. It is clyster clear that she has joined the BJP to save her husband from going to jail. That is fair enough, any one will succumb this kind of blackmailing pressure by the incumbent government.
A. It was not a hurried decision. Maval was never won by NCP in the past, and the party decided that if a Pawar stands from here we will win. But that didn't happen. We won Shirur but lost Maval. The main reason being we got very little time to work. If you notice, even places which could never be won by the BJP or Sena were won by them. People believe that it is not a BJP-Sena victory, but it is the EVM that has won.
A. The BJP made tall poll promises during the 2014 state polls, such as complete farm loan waiver scheme, employment schemes, building a memorial of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the sea, a memorial of Dr BR Ambedkar at Indu Mill, Dhangar community reservations etc. None of these have been fulfilled even as the next poll is round the corner. Besides, out of five years of this BJP led government, from last four years, the farmers are facing the drought situation and this has resulted in rise of farmers suicide cases in Maharashtra. The farm loan waiver scheme of this incumbent has failed totally. Even as the two months of monsoon have passed, there are no signs of rain in many areas of the state. Farmers are still waiting for the farm loan waiver. There is a build up of anger against the government, and this unrest will dethrone this government in coming polls.
Even today, many part of the state are facing the drought like situation. There is scanty rainfall. Moreover, the inflation has gone up. We will raise all these issues in the upcoming state polls. The urban area too did not get any satisfactory deal under this government. The smart city project has also failed. Not a single city has been developed as the smart city in last five years. Besides, the political corruption has increased in the state.
A: There is an agrarian crisis. The BJP led government's much touted crop loan waiver scheme has flopped as farmers are yet to get relief and most of them are unable to get fresh loans. Therefore, we will promise a complete loan waiver and it will be included in NCP's poll manifesto. Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) announced by the Congress party ahead of Lok Sabha election was aimed to benefit five crore 'poorest families' covering 25 crore people by assuring them a guaranteed minimum income of Rs 6,000 per month or Rs 72,000 a year. However, it could not reach to the grassroots. It will be our effort to take it up with farmers as they will be the beneficiaries of the scheme.
The government's Smart City project has remained on paper as there has been no substantial progress on this front. NCP will implement Smart City scheme with proper planning and in a time bound manner. Maharashtra's position as the most favoured investment destination and leading industrial state has taken a serious beating during five year term of BJP-Shiv Sena government. There has been severe downfall. All efforts will be made to regain the prominence on these two fronts. The government made tall claims about job creation, but the situation is quite different at the ground level. The unemployment has increased. So our another priority will be job creation. We will attempt to revive the economy as double digit growth has remained a mere announcement. This apart, women empowerment, women security, arrest deteriorating law and order will be taken up.
A: It is the same BJP who initially opposed reservations. In 2014, it was the Congress-NCP government who gave reservations to the Marathas. There was stay in the court. After the many silent marches across the state in which 46 Marathas were killed, BJP approved of the reservation. The government was forced to create reservations after many lost their lives. The credit goes to these Marathas and their sacrifices. Other castes who supported this reservation should also be credited. BJP was trying to create a divide between Marathas and the OBCs. We maintained that Marathas should be given reservation without touching the OBC reservations. Their fears were hence allayed. Now, the Dhangars are unhappy and are demanding reservations. Their constitutional right should stay despite the money that you pay.
A. We are together and talks for seat sharing are underway. It is an attempt of Congress and NCP to include likeminded and secular parties like Peasants and Workers Party, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, Communist Party of India and Communist Party of India (Marxist) to form Mahagathbandhan to take on the ruling saffron alliance. There will be 50:50 seat sharing between Congress and NCP after providing seats to other allies. I do not see any problem in this regard.
A. In 1999, when the NCP was formed, the Shiv Sena and BJP fought together in Maharashtra, and the Congress and NCP fought separately. In 2004, the Congress and NCP were together, and despite fighting less seats the NCP won more. Despite having more MLAs, Pawar saheb (Sharad Pawar) gave the chief minister's position to the Congress. In 2014, we fought separately, and won 42 and 41 respectively. In the recent Lok Sabha polls, the NCP won five and the Congress got just one seat. Hence, we are seeking a 50:50 formula with the Congress after setting aside seats for our smaller allies.
A. When we discuss things as a party, and not as an alliance, there are voices that we must take the NCP along. But, this is a discussion in the party and not in the larger alliance. The Mahagathbandhan will trounce the BJP- Shiv Sena even if they contest together. There is no discussion at present about the MNS inclusion in the alliance, but it can be done in the future. We can have one grand alliance against the BJP- Shiv Sena.
A. At the time of 2014 results, I remember very clearly the statement made by Praful Patel. There was a hung assembly after results and no party got the majority. For the sake of Maharashtra's development, he had offered support to the BJP. After that never has he said anything of supporting the opposition. So what he said in 2014, there is no point of bringing this up now.
A: There are lot of reservation in the mind of Indian voters. With a big win, there should have been people on roads celebrating, but nothing of that sort happened. With statistics, I can cite examples of many villages, BJP would poll less than 100 votes. Their tally never went beyond three figures for the last 25 years. But this time, they got 1,300 votes in villages. So much transformation cannot happen.
After Lok Sabha results when we went to villages, 70% of people said they voted for us, and they were shocked by the results. So where did all these votes go, they said. They even sweared on this. That is the reason EVMs should stop, and votes should be casted on ballot paper. Many have proved that EVMs can be hacked. Many countries that started EVMs have gone back to ballot paper. That is also what people want.
If in general election, if a person votes for a particular candidate, that vote goes out to someone else. If this is the case then what is the point of voting? Elections should be transparent. Today BJP is pro-EVM. In 2013, at LK Advani's house, the party opposed use of EVMs when election commission announced that they will be holding 2014 elections through them. We, including the other opposition parties of that time were present. That time no elections were held, and without even experiencing it, they blankly refused to go further with the EVM. Today there is a proof. There is mismatch of voting.
When an officer is given responsibility of a booth, after reaching the booth he has to connect the EVM's command box with the Election commission's server. The election commission said that they did this to know the location of EVM. So, sitting in Delhi, they can know where the machine is in and in which booth. After all it is a chip. What can not happen with it? Hence they should remove EVM and get back the ballot box.
A. The results of Lok Sabha elections in these states were unexpected. The BJP won with a huge mandate whereas the same people voted for the Congress in the state assembly elections. It is important to note that when the local body elections were held using ballot paper just 20 days after the Lok Sabha elections concluded, the BJP did not win in the same states. This shows that there is something wrong with the EVMs and that they were manipulated. During the exit polls it was estimated that the BJP will win 303 seats and they won 303 seats. How is this possible? The BJP had planned this with the booth officers and manipulated the EVMs. This is why the use of EVMs should be banned in all the elections.
A. I will not quote names. But two or three months before the Lok Sabha polls I was sitting with a senior BJP leader and when the issue of the VBA came up the leader said, that the VBA's effect would be seen in the Lok Sabha elections only and not during the Vidhan Sabha polls. Before the Lok Sabha elections, we tried to hold talks with Prakash Ambedkar where he asked for 12 seats. We initially offered them four seats, and gradually increased the number to 10. However, as we increase the number of seats they declared the candidates. They fought the elections to ensure that the BJP was not Vanchit (deprived) of power. They fractured our progressive and secular votes. This helped the BJP, and by default, the RSS.
However, the VBA's impact will not be felt during the assembly elections. Even then, we have been trying to include them in the Mahagathbandhan. But, the VBA claimed it would give the Congress just 40 seats. I feel that Vanchit's voters have realised that it's presence the BJP- Shiv Sena. We are trying to take Prakash Ambedkar along. He claims to oppose the RSS and BJP, and the most credible opposition to them can be created by joining the Mahagathbandhan.
A. It is not a correct time for me to comment on the legacy issue. As far as NCP chief Sharad Pawar is concerned, he is still active in taking up various issues faced by people from cross sections. Pawar has contributed a lot in the development of Maharashtra and he has played crucial role in country's development too. He was made the chairman of national disaster management committee by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
A. I don't have an opinion on Munde sir's legacy. I have stayed with and seen him struggle from very close quarters. I participated with him and managed his tour. I saw his love for his constituency. Both Pritam and Pankaja may be his daughters by blood and birth however they haven't seen his struggle which I have. As far his legacy is concerned nobody has a claim on it. I don't have any claim on his legacy.
| POINTS TO BE NOTED |
|---|
| The alliance talk with the Congress and other small like-minded parties are in progress |
| The party has requested the Prakash Ambedkar-led Bahujan Vanchit Aghadi to be part of this Maha Aghadi against the BJP |
| The Congress and the NCP will contest on the equal number of seats |
