Vijayakumar: BJP City President

"CM will make spot-inspection of all wards"

“As far as land registrations are concerned,
the situation is now very confusing.
Our government will study the issue in its entirety and
come out with clear cut regulations within a fortnight.”

As the first BJP-led government settles down in Karnataka, Bangalore City Unit President B.N. Vijayakumar shares his euphoria and apprehensions with TWB, while assuring the minorities that “there is absolutely no reason for them to be wary of the BJP”. Excerpts:

* As President of the city BJP unit, what are your expectations from your Govt?
Firstly we are looking for expansion and early elections to the BBMP. We will arrange a spot visit by our CM to each and every area of Bangalore as well as remote places especially to the areas coming under CMC, to assess the real condition of the roads, pothole fillings, drainage, garbage collections, traffic zones at busy traffic junctions in areas like Indiranagar, Jayanagar, Rajainagar, Banashankari, Vijayanagar, etc.

* What will be the Number One Priority – Providing better governance OR Managing to run the government for its remaining term of 19 months?
Both. Running the full term will be meaningless without providing good governance, so we will try to ensure both. We are also fully mindful of the destructive motives of the Congress who will try its best to prevent both.

* Very frankly, do you expect the JD(S) to give you the same kind of co-operation you gave to their Kumaraswamy Govt?
We do expect to get the same kind of co-operation but it all depends on how they react to situations over the next 19 months.

* Most of the people feel Deve Gowda will try to be the remote control. Have you any Plan ready to counter such a real possibility?
We don’t have to think up any strategy, because the people are wise enough to realize what is fact and what is not. Also, our leader Yeddyurappa has vast experience and is fully capable of countering such political obstacles. Devices like remote control work with parties like Congress. Look how Sonia Gandhi is remote controlling the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. While we are fully alive to this possibility, we will not allow any such thing to come in our way. Of course we will take Deve Gowda’s views on important issues.

* Don’t you think the JD(S)’ main motive will be to see that your Govt will be less effective when compared to the Kumaraswamy Govt? That way, they will be in a win-win situation.
If the JD(S) harbours such hidden motives, it is bound to be defeated in its aims. Our party has the numbers, more than any others, the MLAs are fully behind us, we can count on the experience and expertise of our central leaders like Narendra Modi, and Nitish Kumar, so there can be no doubt whatsoever about our effectiveness.

* Now that you are in power, there is a feeling that you fear the JD(S) more than the opposition Congress. The JD(S) is in a position to bring down your Govt, while the Congress failed in its bid to wrest power from you. Your comments.
No, not at all because the JD(S) is only a regional party. Whereas, the Congress party is our number one opposition. The Congress has tried to pull us down for the last several decades. They have been pampering the minorities by indulging in vote-bank politics, while not allowing them to really grow.

* It may be a gimmick, but Kumaraswamy’s Janata Darshans and village visits proved to be popular. What do you think your CM should do to counter this?
Visiting villages is not a gimmick and our CM should also do likewise. Such visits help us to interact directly with the people and get to know their problems. As a leader of farmers, Yeddyurappa has the ability and acumen to address the grievances of the villagers. The only thing is, the CM should enjoy full support of the legislators and be given a free hand to do so.

* The industry lobby in Karnataka (like the FKCCI and Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association) want Karnataka to follow the Gujarat Model of Development. Don’t you think this is the best opportunity for you to do this?
Yes, we can try and replicate the success we achieved in Gujarat in Karnataka, if the Centre extends us Planning and budgetary support like constitution of E-Zones. We will definitely try to address the concerns the industry lobby.

* Briefly, describe at least three important things you will surely achieve in the 19 months you have, to improve the lot of the people.
Bangalore to Mangalore Road, international level roads, not only in Bangalore but also in some of the other important destinations, provide food/shelter/education for the poor, and riot-free law and order.

* It has been said, for a long time, that Yeddyurappa and Ananth Kumar do not get along with each other. Now that you are in power, will it end the groupism in the party or will it intensify?
These are all just rumours and media hype. Even if there are individual differences, the collective decision of the party and the High Command finally prevails and is respected by all. Sri Yeddyurappa enjoys full support from all quarters.

* If your Govt can solve Bangalore’s basic problems like traffic, roads, drainage, water shortage, etc, you, your stock as the party’s city unit president will surely rise. So do you have any specific Plan for Brand Bangalore?
My dream for Bangalore is it should maintain its brand equity as a city of peace, and be the number one city in the country. I also wish that the Metro project is completed soon.

* The ban on land registrations has left the real estate industry and the investing public very unhappy. The Govt is also losing out on increasing its revenues. Will you prevail upon your Govt to have a re-think on the issue?
As far as land registrations are concerned, the situation is now very confusing. Our government will study the issue in its entirety and come out with clear cut regulations within a fortnight.

* Your opponents – including the JD(S) – keep saying that the minorities have to be wary of the BJP. In this context, do you plan to reach out in any special way to the minorities to assure them that they have nothing to fear from your Govt?

If the Muslims really fear us, then by this time they should have vacated their lands and got settled in Pakistan. It is a fact that the Muslims have a ghetto complex and are vulnerable to be misled by the Congress and other parties that claim to be secular. They have been brainwashed by the Congress right from the Independence days and have not been allowed to prosper, like for example, the Christians. Unlike the Muslims, the Christians have not succumbed to the vote-bank politics of the Congress, because they mix easily with the society. The fact is, the BJP is not at all anti-minorities. We are very proud of all our Muslims and Christians who fought shoulder to shoulder with fellow Hindus, in the Kargil war against Pakistan. We want to assure the minority community that our concern for them is genuine, unlike the Congress, and there is absolutely no reason for them to be wary of us.