I won BBMP polls but won’t lobby for anything: R Ashok
CM R Ashok was praised for his strategy which helped BJP get 100 seats in BBMP
By : bhaskar hegde
Update: 2015-08-31 06:41 GMT
Bengaluru: BJP senior leader R. Ashok on Sunday strongly criticised the Congerss’ resort politics. “They are trying to enter the BBMP through the backdoor. Keeping independents in resorts is not a good sign. It has never happened in Karnataka,” he said. When his attention was drawn to a similar strategy by the BJP in 2008 and 2009, Mr Ashok said that it did not happen at the corporation. “I am speaking about corporation issues,” he told DC during an interview.
Former Deputy CM R. Ashok is in news for the right and wrong reasons as well. During the first part of the previous week, he was praised for his strategy which helped BJP get 100 seats in BBMP.
But as the days progressed and the Congress party spirited away the independents who are crucial in the battle for the mayor post, he was criticised for being too aggressive. Many Independents say they would have stayed with BJP had Mr Ashok and other leaders treated them with respect. During an interview, Mr Ashok stoutly defends himself. Here are excerpts from his interview.
To begin with why did the party make you the BBMP poll in-charge?
In the 2010 BBMP elections too, I was in-charge. I represent Bengaluru from the beginning. I was and am concentrating on city issues. I got involved in all activities of the party. For example the recent Narendra Modi rally, I organised it. Keeping all these in mind, the party identified me and gave me the responsibility.
After the second or the third meeting of the election committee, you threw a tantrum over not being made the poll-in charge...
No. I did not ask for it. I never asked anyone. The party selected me. I am not in the habit of asking for any post.
Now that the elections were over, can you disclose the strategy you adopted?
We knew the pulse of Bengalureans pretty early. We knew what issues would connect with city voters. We decided to go in for a good campaign.
What do you mean by good campaign?
We focused on leaders’ speeches, fine-tuned SMSes and the social media campaign.
These are all issues which the party worked on. What was your contribution, in terms of percentage of votes?
I can’t convert my contribution and present it in percentage. But I actively participated in everything. I raised my voice against dividing the city vigorously. I highlighted the Congress party’s zero contribution to the city. When D.K. Ravi (IAS officer) died, the government did not do anything for two months. We picked up very real issues.
According to you, where did the ruling Congress go wrong?
Congress neglected the city from day one. No great development happened in the last two years. They never take Bengaluru issues seriously.
The government should have lobbied for funds and other help from the Centre. They did not go to Delhi, discuss with Central government officials, ministers. They totally failed to gauge the pulse of the people.
By any chance, did the divide in the Congress help you?
It is no longer a secret that there is an old and new Congress. They totally failed to project the urban S.M. Krishna. Two days before the polls, Mr Krishna, B.K. Hariprasad and Mallikarjun Kharge all attacked the chief minister subtly. It might have sent a signal to Congress workers.
But, your party’s newly elected corporators say you did not step out of Bengaluru South..
Not true. I went to all assembly constituencies. I toured Bengaluru North. Yashwanthpur, Dasarahalli, Rajaji Nagar, Malleswaram, all these areas come under Bengaluru North where I toured extensively. In this election, actually we focussed on selection of good candidates. We did it very early so, the candidates got six days extra whereas the Congress finalised theirs just a day before the last date of filing nominations. So, they effectively got only six days. It was a bonus for us.
You opposed many candidates including Katte Satya. But, he won. In many places you opposed candidates but all of them got tickets and won. So, your calculation went wrong...
This time, we were very clear. Whatever the party constituency president, MLA and MP said, we finalised the candidate. I did not oppose anyone’s candidature.
Weren’t you disappointed that you could not bring new and fresh faces which the city wanted?
Not really, a 21-year-old candidate won. Similarly, we gave tickets to new faces and this time, many women got a chance. That’s a good sign of change. We gave tickets to doctors and many professionals.
Some of your mayoral aspirants say they have to pay a hefty amount to party leaders to get the mayor post. They say, we have to make down payment first and then pay EMIs every month. Wonder who in BJP takes money?
We do not have such a history. Never ever can we do such things.
But, you are the city in-charge. Certainly, you will know who are these leaders who take money in your party?
It has never happened in the past. I will never allow it to happen. If that were the case, we would not have allowed Katte Satya and Shantakumari and Nataraj (former mayors) to rise to the top. For us, performance is the yardstick. Such situations will not arise. When it did not happen in the past, how can that happen now?
If you take JD(S) help, can you implement your vision?
Yes, 100 per cent. We take the help of both the state and the Centre. It is not BJP’s Bengaluru, but Namma Bengaluru. We develop the city.
If you come to power in BBMP, you will say the state government is run by the Congress, so it does not co-operate. The state government will say BBMP is with BJP so they can’t do anything. In the tussle, people will suffer..
We have a federal system. Can the Centre say they can’t give money to a state? No. Bengaluru gets a lot of funds from the Centre.
We have to depend more on the Centre. We have three ministers from the state. Mr Venkaiah Naidu is urban development minister. It is a positive sign for us. We will focus on development.
The Congress is saying that it will take action on the Kataria report. If they take action, will any BJP leader go to jail?
In the first place, how can Kataria give a report on 198 wards in 15 days? It is a shoddy report. When we were in power, we had ordered a probe into matters concerning Rajarajeshwarinagar constituency. That report did not come out. How can you give a report in 15 days? Let them order a probe, we welcome it.
If you come to power will you stress on transparency and accountability?
We have to bring in transparency and accountability in stages. Bengaluru development is very crucial for the next elections. They gave us power for the second time. We have to improve and show the rest of the state what best we could do in the city.
Frankly, all parties are in the hands of the real estate lobby. They do not allow reforms to come through..
Yes, why not. We can keep the real estate lobby away from politics.
Many say, Ashok is the next party president and he is the next CM. Has this been finalsed already?
Pralhad Joshi is there. He is doing a good job.
After him?
He may continue, or someone else may replace him. Just because I won BBMP polls, I can’t ask for any post. I will not lobby. The party gave more that I could handle. I have no aspiration. BJP should spread its wings.
But as a politician, naturally you will have a desire to become CM...
Two years is a long period. We do not know the status of our leaders. Nor do I know where I stand. The political situation may change. When Ashok did not have an address of his own, the party gave it to me. In future too, whatever the party says, I will do. Nothing more.