Chandigarh:Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is confident that the BJP will win 10 out of 10 seats in Haryana and the party will win enough seats at the national level for Narendra Modi to be the Prime Minister of the country again.
In an interaction with mediapersons at his official residence here on Wednesday, Khattar said that ever since he had set out for campaigning, he had been getting “very good” feedback on “pro-incumbency”.“Most governments have to battle anti-incumbency after remaining in power for five years, some are lucky not to face it. But in our case, we are witnessing pro-incumbency, which means people want our government to remain in the state,” he said.
Asked why would people vote for the BJP, the CM said that it was because the Modi government at the Centre and the one led by him in Haryana had delivered and people had faith in them.He said by introducing information and technology in governance at various levels, his government had eliminated the scope for corruption and made delivery easier for people.
Khattar denied contentions that the election might witness polarisation between Jats and non-Jats, saying that people will vote for the BJP on merit alone.
“Our predecessors discriminated on the caste basis for development works and jobs, but during my government, merit has been the only criteria. This is the reason, people cutting across caste lines voted for the BJP in the Jind byelection and mayoral elections. They will vote for us this time too,” he added.
Khattar downplayed senior INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala’s recent meeting with him as “personal”, but said that it was a fact that once the BJP used to go to parties like the INLD, Haryana Vikas Party and Haryana Janhit Congress for alliance, but now others were approaching it.
Claiming that corruption was going to be a major issue in the upcoming elections, Khattar said that while the BJP was in government to serve people, others served their self interests when they were in power.
Answering questions on Jat quota violence, the CM said the fact that the BJP had favoured quota for Jats and other castes showed that there was politics behind the burning of Haryana over the issue.
“Those ousted from power by the BJP wanted to destabilise my government and in the process they did not hesitate to burn Haryana. People of Rohtak, Jhajjar and Sonepat very well recognise these faces and they will teach them a lesson in this election,” he said in an obvious reference to former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
He said his predecessors kept putting ticklish issues like Dera and Rampal under the carpet and when it was left to his government to deal with them, he ensured that the minimum damage was done.
Asked about his party’s relations with the controversial Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, Khattar admitted that the dera did support the BJP in 2014 and added that his party would again seek the support of the dera.
On announcement of tickets for Hisar and Rohtak, Khattar said the names would be announced soon.
He refused to comment on the Balakot airstrike saying that the ECI had restrained political parties from doing so, but he said people believed that only the BJP could provide the country internal and external security.
Khattar defended the dilution of Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900, saying that striking a balance between environment and development was necessary.
What CM said…
On governance
By introducing information and technology in governance at various levels, my government has eliminated the scope for corruption and made delivery easier for people.
On Jat quota violence
Those ousted from power by the BJP wanted to destabilise my government and in the process they did not hesitate to burn Haryana. People of Rohtak, Jhajjar and Sonepat very well recognise these faces and they will teach them a lesson in this election.
On diluting land preservation Act
To strike a balance between environment and development was necessary.
