The AAP-Congress alliance will win in Delhi, and the BJP also knows that’s why they have changed their mandate in the national capital, claims Bharti.
As the Election Commission of India announced dates for the 18th Lok Sabha election on Saturday, all parties have officially kicked off their campaigns to woo the voters. Aam Adami Party candidate from New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, and incumbent MLA from Malviya Nagar, Somnath Bharti, claimed that the arch rival BJP will face tremendous defeat in all Delhi’s seats courtesy AAP-Congress alliance.
In an interview with The Sunday Guardian, Somnath Bharti said that the AAP-Congress alliance will come out victorious in Delhi, and the BJP also have the inclination about this. It is quite apparent from the BJP’s move of changing their mandate in Delhi. He said the BJP became hopeless as their incumbent MPs have not done any remarkable work for the betterment of Delhiites; that’s why they have introduced new faces in the general election.
Q: You are contesting against a debutant BJP leader from the New Delhi constituency. Do you think you can drop your guard?
A: The question is whether the BJP is looking hopeless. First, they wanted to field S. Jai Sankar, sir, but he refused. Then they wanted to field Hardeep Puri sir, but he also refused. That’s what I’ve been told. Then they removed Meenakshi Lekhi ji, who had been there for the last 10 years, and now they fielded a new person. A person who has the past of helping Lalit Modi flee the nation. A person who defrauded this nation of thousands of crores. He was made to flee by none less than the BJP candidate. So with such a past of the BJP candidate, do you think the people will give them a chance? If you look at Brij Bhushan Singh’s case, she (Bansuri Swaraj) stood by Brij Bhushan Singh. She did not stand by the ladies, the women wrestlers who were made to suffer at the hands of Brij Bhushan Singh.
In the Manipur case, she stood by the state government and again did not stand by the women who were paraded naked in Manipur. So the actual situation is that the BJP is completely hopeless, and that is why it opted for a candidate who has such a dubious past, such an anti-national past, such an anti-woman past, and such an anti-democracy past. On contrary, the people of Delhi and the people of the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency are all aware of my background and also how have I served my Malviya Nagar assembly constituency for the last 10 years, which is one of those 10 assemblies that falls under the New Delhi constituency. So they all know who is better for them, who is known for his availability, accountability, and answerability. And that’s why I’m saying people have already decided. If you go and talk to the people, they’ll tell you.
Q: Apart from the AAP government’s harassment by the Modi government and friction, what are your poll planks?
A: See, it’s very obvious. First, it was personal in nature. Second, whenever Delhi was witnessing the snatching away of rights by central governments, whenever the Centre tried to take away the rights of the elected government of Delhi, whenever they tried to take away the rights of the people of Delhi, none of these seven parliamentarians of the BJP didn’t do anything in the Parliament. That’s why the people of Delhi want those parliamentarians who will stand and fight for them. Who will resist every attempt by the central government when they try to take away the rights of Delhiites?
Q: Do you expect the Congress vote to transfer to the AAP?
A: It has to happen; that’s why we are contesting together. See, in all three seats where Congress is fighting, the Aam Adami Party will help, and in all four seats where the Aam Adami Party is contesting, Congress will support. That is why, we are saying that in all seven seats BJP will face a massive defeat.
Q: You have a great track record as an MLA. What’s your strategy for the MP seat?
A: See, first, I am going to illustrate my work about my constituency. I will extend my work from Malviya Nagar to the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, which has 10 assemblies. Second, as I said, the Parliament has to have somebody to speak whenever the central government tries to take away the rights of the people of Delhi. This is going to be my actual role as an MP. I have to come up with the solutions whenever either a crime happens or DDA issues emerge in the Lok Sabha constituency. So I’m the only person who can face any dictator, and any resistance. I can fight from anyone in the interest of Delhiites, and that’s what I’m promising.
Q: BJP Delhi chief Virendra Sachdeva said in an interview with TSG that the AAP-Congress will not bag a single seat. What’s your take on that?
A: Let Sachdeva ji to say whatever he wants to say. His statements are not less than ‘Mungerilal ke hasin sapne’ (day dreaming).
Q: What’s your take on CAA?
A: My stand is aligned with the Delhi Chief Minister. So I can’t hold a contrary view. My leader has said which is quite apt. What BJP is trying to do? BJP is not trying to offer any solution to the poverty, and unemployment that Indians are facing. You’re (BJP) trying to bring the poor from other countries, including Pakistan, to India. What will happen to the existing poor of the country? BJP is not bothered about the increasing rate of the unemployment. So you need to provide solutions to the people of this country first.
Here, youth are facing tremendous problems-related to unemployment. That’s why we are against it.