As the state of Madhya Pradesh is going to assembly polls on November 17, both the ruling and the Opposition are trying to cash in on their policies. After filing nomination papers from Dimani assembly constituency in Morena district for the forthcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly elections on Friday, Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Narendra Singh Tomar spoke exclusively to India News and revealed the chances of the BJP in the coming state polls.
Q: What are the chances of the BJP in the assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh?
A: The BJP is fighting this election on development issues. There remains no doubt that the BJP dispensation has done a lot of development in the state. Earlier, there were only four medical colleges in the state but now, its number has risen to 30. The marginalised sections of the society have benefited from the state government’s welfare and development schemes and the government has left no stone unturned in implementing these schemes. But the BJP has always been labelled as a party which banks on nationalism. There is nothing wrong if a party is called nationalist or raises core national issues. These issues are generally created by the opposition parties to divide society, people, state and nation. They involve in these sorts of activities to garner votes or suit their political purposes.
Q: Do you think anti-incumbency will be a factor in the upcoming polls?
A: There is no anti-incumbency factor against the sitting Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. It is a canard spread by the Congress and that there is no such factor like this. Had it been the case, he would not have become the chief minister of the state. He is the most popular leader of the state who has appeal among ordinary voters.
Q: You are a top-class leader of the party. Then, why are you fighting an assembly poll?
A: The party has reposed faith in me to fight the assembly polls in the state and no conclusion should be derived from this. From time to time, party takes decision in the better interest of the people. In the BJP, country first comes first and not the party. The BJP is a highly disciplined party where the interest of the people matters.
