AAP has no stakes in politics: Jagdish Mukhi

With Assembly Elections in Delhi approaching fast, Deepak Nagpal of Zeenews.com talked to Janakpuri MLA Jagdish Mukhi of the Bharatiya Janata Party in an exclusive interview.

Here are the excerpts: Q1. Do you think the BJP will reclaim power in Delhi after a gap of 15 years in 2013 elections? Ans. Yes, I am sure about it as the Congress government has created a record of corruption. We have even printed a booklet on this. First, there was a scam in the privatisation of Delhi Vidyut Board and in conducting the Commonwealth Games. Secondly, price rise is at extreme levels. Thirdly, women in the city are desperate; they are simply crying. 96% of them feel unsafe in Delhi; they are afraid of coming out on roads after dark. And the unfortunate part is, the Chief Minister says even her daughter is not safe in the city. When you (CM Sheila Dikshit) can’t guarantee safety to your daughter, how can you ensure safety to the women of the city? Some 20 children go missing daily in the city. The Home Minister said on the floor of the House that four rapes are registered in Delhi every day. It is a known fact that many such cases go unregistered. People in the city are crying; their electricity bills have gone up 11 times since the privatisation of power. Similarly, water is a major issue. 33% people don’t have access to potable water; they depend on underground water for their basic needs. Ms Sheila Dikshit is directly responsible as she is the chairman of the Delhi Jal Board and the CM for the last 15 years. In fact, water tariff in the city has gone up 20 times. We are sure people will vote for the BJP this time around; they will not waste their vote. Q2. Don’t you see the Aam Aadmi Party as a challenge to your bid to oust the Congress from power? Surveys have shown the AAP is doing fairly well. Ans. They (AAP) have never contested any election. They can talk high, they can make promises, but who is going to fulfil them. They don’t have any stake in politics. They are coming after deceiving Anna Hazare. There is a saying in Hindi: “Na nau mann teil hoga, na Radha nachegi.” You can make any promise when you are not going to come at power. They are going to get some votes – 5, 10 or 15% votes, as Anna’s effect is there. Whatever they are going to get is anti-incumbency vote, but not from the BJP’s share. If AAP had not been there, we would have got all the anti-incumbency votes. Whatever votes the Congress is losing¬ - some 21% as per surveys – we are sharing around 50% each. We may get 60% and they may get 40%, or vice versa. Even this 11-12 % share will help us get majority. Q3. What if the people decide to vote not on the basis of the government’s performance but on the basis of local MLAs’ performance? Ans. These days, in various states, there is a complete polarisation of votes. Like in Tamil Nadu, there is either DMK or AIADMK in power. Same is the case in Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and even in Delhi – it has either been the BJP or the Congress in power. Delhi has never had any hung Assembly. Previous experiments like the AAP have all failed – they managed to get votes but failed to win seats. The question you asked, I do agree with you. Reputation of sitting members definitely counts. We have 24 out of total 70 sitting MLAs. So, that factor doesn’t hold true for 46 seats. The question to be asked is, if I am an MLA from the ruling party and because expectations are from the ruling party, and if I fail to perform then people will vote accordingly. If I am an opposition MLA and people have voted for me three to four times, that means they have liked my way of functioning. So, that question is not relevant for sitting BJP MLAs; the question is relevant for only sitting Congress MLAs. Q4. Will the recent leadership tussle in Delhi affect the BJP’s chances in December 4 polls? Or was that just an internal issue? Ans. It is the media which has always been asking questions about our CM candidate. You had been saying, we should have a face. Now, we have shown our face. We have announced the name only once; we never backtracked and changed any name. Mr Vijay Goel was our state party president and the party decided in favour of one person, i.e. Dr Harsh Vardhan. Q5. Did you aspire to become the CM candidate? Ans. Did you hear or read anywhere? I am a known face, am a senior party leader, but it’s the party decision. I am a true soldier of the party. Q6. What have been your notable achievements when it comes to developing Janakpuri and part of Uttam Nagar, which is also a constituent of your Assembly constituency? Ans. I have been representing Janakpuri (ward number 117 and 118) for the past 34 years. Here, we have given necessities long back. We are the best in Delhi in terms of water supply, electricity, parks etc. Five years back, we completed our comforts also. Comforts mean community halls, dispensaries, schools etc. We have developed Janakpuri as a centre for higher education; almost all courses you could name could be studied here. Some 70,000 students come to Janakpuri daily to pursue higher education. Now we are giving luxuries here. We have given what all world class colonies need. We are now building designer gates. All drains in Janakpuri are covered – the only colony to have this. We are building two foot-over bridges. Janakpuri already has two Metro stations; now one more is coming up. For the youth, we have developed sports facilities. We have also built a new Delhi Haat, which is in final stages of completion. It will have a 1000-seater auditorium. A super-speciality hospital and a cancer hospital are already functioning here. In Ward Number 119 (Milap Nagar), there are some authorised colonies and some unauthorised-regularised ones. Here, we have completed all the necessities - water, electricity, sewerage system, roads etc. Now we are giving them comforts like designer gates, polyclinics, dispensaries etc. I got these colonies 20 years back. In unauthorised colonies, I have given the best of necessities like sewerage system etc which was missing earlier. Now, coming to Ward Number 120, which is known as Sitapuri. This area came to me almost 5 years back. Then the area had no water supply. I had promised the electorate I would give them water in 60 days. They did not believe but I provided them water supply in a record 48 days. I brought water to Sitapuri via Dwarka with the help of DDA and DJB. I know how to get the work done. Whatever we committed to the public, we have fulfilled those promises. Also, there was no sewerage system there; we have been building that. At some places 100% work has been completed, while at other locations work is underway. Now roads are being laid. You can adjudge my performance based on the work I have done. Q7. Residents of Uttam Nagar have a complaint – that your focus has been more on posh Janakpuri than rather underdeveloped Uttam Nagar. What do you have to say? Ans. This perception will always remain. I had promised, “Janakpuri sudhari hai ab Uttam Nagar ki baari hai.” I have given everything to Uttam Nagar, what they expect now is parks like the ones in Janakpuri. But, how do I give them parks as there is no space available. I am not going to demolish houses to build parks. I have given water there, sewerage system to all, best of electricity etc. Last year, there was a problem, but I have got four feeders from a new power grid for Uttam Nagar. Also, like Janakpuri all drains are covered in Uttam Nagar. I have given them all the necessities, now I am giving them comforts. Q8. And what do you promise to the people of your constituency if re-elected? Ans. I will now give comforts to Ward Number 120, i.e. Sitapuri. There was no community hall and dispensaries there. While dispensaries are now functioning, a community hall is being constructed. Like this, I have taken up major projects there. To Milap Nagar (Ward Number 119), I will provide them luxuries. And to Janakpuri (Ward Number 117 and 118), we will give them top class luxuries.