‘Riding on good governance & development, Modi will hit a hat-trick’

Having won four consecutive elections from the Hamirpur Lok Sabha segment, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur is trying his electoral fortunes again as he is being projected as a powerful minister in the next Modi Cabinet. Firebrand leader Thakur, who has batted on the forefront in his tirade against the Gandhi family, has succeeded in carving out a niche for himself in national politics. Wearing many hats of a former cricketer, youth icon and a Captain in the Territorial Army, his utterances make news nationwide. In an interview with Pratibha Chauhan, he shared his vision and the need for voting BJP to power to see PM Narendra Modi in the saddle again. Excerpts:

Post the monsoon disaster, the Centre has given Rs 1,700 crore to the state. There is a mechanism where Home Ministry undertakes survey to assess losses. There is no partiality towards any state. The Centre has given 20,000 houses worth Rs 1.50 lakh each and liberal assistance under MGNREGA. I want to ask Congress regime in HP as to how much money have they given from their kitty ?

Advertisement

What are the main poll planks on which you are seeking votes?

BJP will hit a six and four and win four Lok Sabha and all six Assembly seats in Himachal. Safety and security of the nation is of prime concern. Stability, good governance and development model have been achieved and Modi ji will hit a hat-trick and make India the third largest economy of the world. This will ensure more progress, development and welfare of the poor and middle class. Centre has given Rs 1,700 crore worth of AIIMS, Rs 500 crore PGI satellite centre at Una, two medical colleges, IIT at Una, Kangra Central University, Hydro Engineering college at Bilaspur, four lanes and extension of railways which shows the development that has taken place. On the other hand, we see unfulfilled promises of the Congress as they have failed miserably on the governance side as well as guarantees, which will ensure their defeat.

The party cadre seems demoralised over the move to field all six Congress legislators on BJP ticket, ignoring dedicated party leaders.

The BJP is a cadre based party where even a worker can become PM or party president. So our strength lies in our organisation and all those who have been denied the ticket being true workers who will ensure victory of candidates.

There is talk of ‘bhajpa ka Congressikaran’ among your own cadre. How do you see this?

At one point of time the Congress had 400 MPs and BJP only two. We would not have progressed had we not accommodated everyone, either in the organistaion or in government. We are world’s largest political party. Also, everyone is not aspiring to be an MP or MLA, they might be joining the BJP to see India progress under Modi.

There is skepticism about your family supporting BJP candidate from Sujanpur Rajinder Rana who had defeated your father in the 2017 Assembly polls.

For us individuals do not matter, organisation is supreme. As for as Dhumal ji is concerned, he categorically said I am with the BJP and the party’s decisions is acceptable to all. I have personally sought votes with sincerity for Rana in Sujanpur so nobody should have any doubt.

Do you confirm the claims by Jai Ram Thakur that Congress regime will fall on June 4 when results are declared?

He said this even before the Rajya Sabha elections, which the BJP won. So maybe he has some inputs. There is no denying that there is a lot dissent within Congress and he along with Harsh Mahajan is in touch with people, so they must be knowing what they are saying.

Congress is accusing Centre of not coming to the rescue of Himachal after last year’s devastation caused by monsoon.

Post the monsoon disaster, the Centre has given Rs 1,700 crore to the state. There is a mechanism where Home Ministry undertakes survey to assess losses. There is no partiality towards any state. The Centre has given 20,000 houses worth Rs 1.50 lakh each and liberal assistance under MNREGA. I want to ask Congress regime in HP as to how much money have they given from their kitty?