Nirupam exudes confidence, says his performance speaks for itself

North West MP Sanjay Nirupam of the Congress is exuding confidence. The 50-year-old is banking on his performance in parliament and the works he has done in his constituency to see him through.

Excerpts from an interview:
Q: How do you rate your chances, especially with the MNS not announcing its candidate from North West? You won the last time with a low margin.
SN: Yes, it was a triangular contest last time. However, I have never discriminated against anybody on the basis of caste, language or religion. People tell me that me since there is no MNS, those votes would come to me.

Q: At one time, you were seen as a symbol of the political aspirations of North Indians in the city. How then will Maharashtrians and MNS supporters vote for you?
SN: I am not anti-Maharashtrian. Besides, I have done a lot of work for Maharashtrians. Moreover, how can they run a campaign against me when MNS, which has declared its support for the BJP, nominates non-Maharashtrians to contest their seats in Mumbai. It's even fighting Shiv Sena's Marathi candidates in other places. So I am confident Maharashtrians will vote for me.

Q: Your opponents allege that the works you have undertaken do not befit an MP, and are small in nature, like building toilets, bore wells, etc.
SN: May be. But what did Ram Naik do for the constituency in the 25 years he was the MP? Issues like gutter, toilets, water and roads have to be taken care of by the BMC. But here the Shiv Sena-BJP failed, and that is why people approached me to get these works done.

On major issues like the defence land, I was made aware of it only last November. I then told people that I would resolve the issue by January, but unfortunately that could not be done though I pursued it vigorously with the minister of state for defence, Jitendra Singh. Defence ministry officials even admitted that the GR issued by the ministry was bad in law. Now it's seeking legal opinion. I promise to pursue the matter after the elections.

Q: There is a complaint that you do not take issues to their logical end–reduction of electricity tariff for example.

SN: I accept that I took it up after the AAP decision on electricity tariff in Delhi, which bypassed the regulator. As soon as I took it up, the chief minister announced that a decision on tariff reduction would be taken within a day or two. I had to trust him. The CM, later explained the complications involved in a blanket tariff reduction. However, the government announced reduction in tariff for up to 500 units by 20 per cent. It is these category of consumers, who are economically backward. Anyway, I will take up this issue too after the elections.

Q: There are major infrastructure issues in your constituency, and you have not got any big-ticket projects?
SN: Major issues/big-ticket projects cannot be resolved/completed in five years. It has to be a continuous effort. Despite this I have managed to get a DDR (District Deputy Registrar) office and an RTO office in Malad.

It was due to my efforts that the plan for the second Metro was extended from Charkop to Dahisar. Also, I have been pursuing the forest land issue from the days when Ashok Chavan was the CM. Later the Supreme Court ruling came, but again it is restricted to private forest lands.

Q: How will you overcome the perception among people of Congress being corrupt? There are a large number of scams; then there is the issue of price rise.
SN: Corruption is a national issue and not restricted to one party. The BJP now has BS Yeddyurappa, and there are ministers in Gujarat government who have been convicted for corruption. The Congress has at least been taking action against the corrupt: the party denied ticket to Suresh Kalmadi.
Price rise is, of course, a problem; but no government would actually promote it. You also have to take into account the rise in price of crude oil from 2004 to the present.

Q: What are you promising the people of your constituency this time around?
SN: I have worked very hard to serve them. I was always accessible, and visible in parliament, and have also spent all of my MPLAD funds. In parliament, I participated in 57 debates. Right from deemed conveyance to model stations and hospital, I have worked for the development of my constituency. And I promise to complete pending projects like the sports complex, medical college and auditorium.

Q: The BJP is now questioning the doctorate bestowed on you by a foreign institution?
SN: One Bhatia approached me saying he wanted to provide me a doctorate from some Trinity College. He insisted on it, so I agreed. Thereafter, he came to my office one day and gave me the certificate and took photographs along with me. That is it, I do not have any more information on this.