BJP will get handsome victory: Dr Harsh Vardhan

In an exclusive interview to Zee Media, Harsh Vardhan believes BJP is the only option for Delhities to get respite from Congress.

In an exclusive interview to Zee Media’s #bbv Bharat Bhagya Vidhata, Dr Harsh Vardhan, BJP’s Chief Ministerial candidate for the upcoming Delhi assembly polls, believes saffron party is the only option for Delhities to get respite from the ruling party’s “corrupt” practices. Praising the effort of social crusaders like Anna Hazare and Kiran Bedi, Vardhan avoided a direct comment on challenger Arvind Kejriwal.

Zee Research Group/New Delhi In a season of claims and counter-claims ahead of the polls, Dr Harsh Vardhan, former health minister of Delhi (1993-98) and former state unit president of BJP, has expressed confidence that his party would be voted to power early December. “We will get a handsome victory,” he declared without specifying the number of seats his party would likely win. He discounted opinion polls as not being the correct measure of the mood of the people in the state. “People voted for Congress consecutively in past three elections but unfortunately despite that youngsters are jobless, women are unsafe and people don’t even have safe drinking water. I firmly believe that this time voters from Delhi would not waste their vote and BJP will win by majority,” averred Dr Vardhan Citing Bijli, Pani and women safety as three big failures of Congress rule, he alleged, “Congress is in no mode to bring any relief to the citizen because when DERC proposed the idea of decreasing the electricity rates, the proposal was rejected.” On women safety measures post Nirbhaya episode, Dr Vardhan lamented that the Sheila Dikshit’s government had even abolished institutions for Home guards and civil defence. “What happened to the promise of street lights and removal of all dark glasses on buses,” he wondered. On being asked as to why was then Delhi voters returning Congress to power during the last three terms, he argued, “In 1999, during Sheila Dikshit’s tenure, we won all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi. We won the municipal corporation poll in 2007. We won all the three corporations in 2012. In the last three assembly polls, our tally has only been increasing. Therefore, it is unfair to say that people don’t acknowledge BJP”. He further said, “Sheila Dikshit won because she was lucky and we were not but this time the malpractices by her government would overshadow her luck factor.” On being asked by Zee News editor, Sudhir Chaudhary, whether he considered Arvind Kejriwal a threat, he replied, “I would not point out at anyone directly but it is very easy to announce that a Lokpal bill will merely change the face of corruption in the country.” When further asked about the theory that the AAP will eat into BJP’s votes, he replied, “I am preoccupied right now with what I can do to take the BJP to victory in the upcoming election. For me, AAP is a non- issue. I only focus on my job. I am sure Delhiites know quite well that if they want to get rid of the Congress, the only option they have is the BJP. I have full faith in the wisdom of Delhi’s voters.” Declaring his party’s agenda for the polls, Dr. Vardhan said, “I would use technology and make all official transactions online. This will uproot corruption. I would also light up each and every isolated place in Delhi to ensure optimum safety for women and girls.” (Watch BBV show ‘Zara Hat Ke’ today at 10 pm)