BJP state president CP Joshi, after voting on all 25 seats in the state in two phases, is now in charge of the party’s election campaign in Odisha. He is busy campaigning for party candidates by going to different Lok Sabha constituencies there. During this, in a special conversation with India News, he fiercely targeted Congress. Joshi said that we will definitely talk about the Congress manifesto. We will definitely tell the public who they want to loot by usurping people’s property. Here are edited excerpts from the interview:
Q: After Rajasthan, you have been given the responsibility of campaigning in Odisha. What do you think is the mood of the people there?
A: Look, I am in the remote villages of Odisha right now. Here also, people have the same thought in their minds that once again Modi government. People are believing in the work done under the leadership of Modi ji in the last 10 years. This belief is not a normal thing. This belief does not happen in a day. What a person has given to the country in the last 10 years is the reason for this belief.
Question: BJP gets good seats from Hindi speaking states, but if we talk about Odisha, West Bengal or South India, what is the expectation of BJP there?
A: This time BJP is going to get bumper seats from the whole country. People from every region and every section of the country want Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Talking about South India, BJP is getting good seats from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Talking about Odisha, we had 8 seats here in the last Lok Sabha elections, but this time if we talk about here, BJP will win most of the 21 seats. We will win good seats in West Bengal too. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan ‘Abki Baar 400 Paar’ is about to be fulfilled.
Q: You have got the opportunity to campaign in different states in this Lok Sabha election. In such a situation, according to you, what are the major issues in the states? Are only national issues dominating?
A: Yes, it is not like that at all. Elections are being fought on the basis of national issues as well as regional issues. I am in Odisha right now. If we talk about here, then the public will vote here on the basis of national issues as well as regional issues. The same is seen in all the states. National issues are the most important, but regional issues cannot be ignored either. We believe in the development of every region. If we talk about Odisha, then the Prime Minister has touched upon issues related to every person like giving rice at one rupee, providing tap water to every house under Jal Jeevan Mission, Ujjwala gas connection. Along with this, there has been a massive expansion of railways, roads, electricity here, during the tenure of the Modi government.
Q: Congress is constantly saying that BJP has not kept and fulfilled any of its promises. Modi Ji has stopped mentioning his guarantees in his speeches after crossing 400. What will you say?
A: First of all, Congress should talk about Jalore-Sirohi. They should tell with whom their former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot made a deal to defeat Congress in Barmer. It is meaningless to accuse Modi Ji along with our promises. We will definitely talk about Congress’ manifesto among the public. We will definitely talk about whom they want to loot by usurping the property. They have divided India into two parts on the basis of religion since independence for the post of Prime Minister. These people have come up with words like minority and majority. These people say that minorities have the first right on the resources of the country. They should tell which promise we have not fulfilled. We have provided relief to the common man by bringing hundreds of schemes like removal of Article 370, construction of houses for the poor, construction of Ramlala temple, construction of toilets, Sukanya Samridhi Yojana, Lakhpati Didi Yojana on the ground.
Q: Congress and opposition parties are seen cornering the Prime Minister somewhere regarding Covishield. What would you say?
A: Congress and the opposition have always worked to tarnish the country’s image in the world for politics. There was a time when one had to wait for 20 to 25 years for the vaccine for the pandemic. This is the first time that the scientists of our country have prepared the vaccine for the pandemic very quickly. The world’s largest vaccination campaign was run in India. Many people have saved lives due to the vaccine. When the vaccine was being prepared, the Modi government provided resources and encouraged the scientists. From oxygen plants to PPE kits or the need for ventilators in Corona, we managed Corona better than even developed nations. Today developed nations are calling Modi God. During the Corona period, we provided vaccine and medicine to many countries. But Congress and the opposition are not understanding the importance of this vaccine and politics is being done.
Q: BJP wants to score a hat-trick in Rajasthan, while Congress is trying to avoid this hat-trick. How confident are you of victory after the voting?
A: Look, it is a very strange situation that the country’s national party Congress says about Rajasthan that this time BJP should not score a hat-trick. This is very strange
Question: BJP wants to score a hat-trick in Rajasthan, while Congress is trying to avoid this hat-trick. How confident are you of victory after the voting?
A: Look, it is a very strange situation that the national party of the country, Congress, says about Rajasthan that this time BJP should not score a hat-trick. This is a very ridiculous situation. The aim of the Congress party is to get one seat in Rajasthan somehow. Next, you see that Congress has formed an alliance with different parties on 3 out of 25 seats in the state to get one seat. The situation is such that their leader Rahul Gandhi left Amethi and fled to Wayanad. When their national leaders go anywhere, the state leaders fold their hands and say that we do not want to contest the elections. Many even refused to contest the elections after getting the ticket. Such leaders do not have the right to speak. Their intentions and policies are not right. They used to say in the assembly elections that we will get 156 and the public showed them the mirror and put them in the opposition. Similar conditions will be seen in Rajasthan in the Lok Sabha elections as well.
Question: You are the state president of BJP in Rajasthan. The people who used to raise slogans of BJP Murdabad till some time back are in your party today. What will you say about this?
Answer: Look, no party worker has any pain or sorrow about this. They are very happy that the graph of the party which we brought to this level is increasing today. Those who stood against us earlier, are standing with us today because of our policies. The original party worker is feeling proud that his party is becoming the biggest party in the world. Those who did not believe in our ideology earlier are today saying Jai Shri Ram because of us. They are saying Bharat Mata Ki Jai. In such a situation, it is a happy occasion for every worker, when such people are joining our culture. There will be no lack of respect for the party worker. They are at the forefront for us.