'Clean Yamuna is going to be the centrepiece of the symbol of Delhi': Baijayant Panda

Interview/ Baijayant Panda, BJP election in-charge, Delhi

Baijayant Panda managed the BJP’s campaign in the Delhi assembly polls efficiently. In an exclusive interview, the Lok Sabha member from Odisha talks about the mandate and how the Yamuna will be the centrepiece of Delhi’s development. Excerpts:

Q/ How did you manage to convert the big mandate in the Lok Sabha elections to assembly poll victory this time?

A/ In the Lok Sabha elections, we were sweeping the polls. But even at the assembly level for the last 10 years we were gradually increasing our vote share. People were realising the deceit of the AAP and turning towards us. We had to make that final push, and it took a lot of work. The superb strategic planning by Home Minister Amit Shah was crucial. I had the privilege of receiving full support from our party leadership, especially from national president J.P. Nadda. The cadre in Delhi were enthusiastic and worked extremely hard. Politics is ultimately local, and nothing beats feet on the ground. We ran an excellent advertising and social media campaign, but ultimately, it was the door-to-door interactions and the thousands of small meetings we held with different sections of society that made the difference.

Q/ What were the key issues that resonated with the voters?

A/ Delhi has not seen development for a decade. While the rest of India has made tremendous progress―becoming the world’s fifth largest economy, building infrastructure, and improving public transport―Delhi has lagged behind. There have been no new hospitals, roads, flyovers or public transport improvements. The fake promises, like cleaning the Yamuna, were constant. People of Delhi were done with the drama and wanted real development. They wanted conflict-free governance, and that is what the BJP offered.

Q/ The budget announcement on income tax benefits came at the right moment.

A/ The budget was appreciated across India, and Delhi was no exception. The Modi government has lifted 250 million people out of poverty over the past decade, and the welfare schemes have helped the middle class. The middle class in Delhi responded enthusiastically to this. It made them realise the BJP’s commitment to improving their lives.

Q/ Social media played a big part in your campaign. How did that work? Even the AAP was very aggressive on social media.

A/ There is a big difference. The memes we created were based on truth. The AAP made fake allegations, like claiming they were not allowed to work, whereas in reality they were not drawing more than Rs70,000 crore of development funds from the Centre, because they thought it would make Prime Minister Modi more popular. They claimed that they were harassed by the Central government, when in reality, they didn’t get bail because of the evidence against them. On the other hand, the memes we used fell into our laps. You saw Arvind Kejriwal’s U-turns. In one meme, he was seen making promises of cleaning the Yamuna, and in another swearing on his children. The people of Delhi were so fed up that they started circulating these memes themselves, and we benefited from that.

Q/ The AAP was born out of an anti-corruption movement. What do the results say about social movements and parties?

A/ The AAP was born out of fakery. They used Anna Hazare for credibility, but once they gained traction, they threw him by the wayside which should have made people wary. And they even discarded their original supporters. Their actions have shown that they were never about social change but advancing their own interests. People trusted them initially, but the hypocrisy became too evident. They failed to deliver on their promises and got involved in massive scams. Don’t blame people’s trust in social movements. People trusted what they were saying, though evidence was there all along that they were crooks.

Q/ Does this election indicate a shift towards a bipolar polity?

A/ India has experienced decades of slow growth and indecisiveness. The last 10 years have seen decisive action under Prime Minister Modi, which is propelling India towards becoming a major global player, a new India celebrated around the world. The BJP was already growing under Atal ji. I had written 11 years ago that the BJP was in the pole position. It has replaced an earlier era of politics where the BJP was a contender. Now, it has become the default option, and most states are governed by the BJP. People recognise the clear leadership we provide, and the country is growing at double speed. The so-called INDIA alliance is a collection of parties with no common vision, and only the lust for power.

Q/ What political message from Delhi will resonate across the country?

A/ Delhi is the national capital and the old ecosystem which ran India so shabbily still has deep roots in Delhi. You have national and international media, diplomatic corps sitting here. You have seen exposes in the US that funds have been used for political purposes. There are entities in Delhi which leverage having local power in Delhi and associate with anti-India agencies. So the message that goes out from Delhi nationally and impacts India’s international reputation, that is going to change. People coming to India see modern airports, railway stations, trains, expressways. But when they go inside Delhi, they see that the infrastructure is the same as it was a decade ago. That will change. The first impression of Delhi will change.

The concentration of the urban naxal ecosystem emanates from Delhi. They have been benefiting from these corrupt practices of illicit financing. All that has to stop.

Q/ Now that the BJP has a strong mandate, what can Delhi look forward to?

A/ The prime minister has already thanked people for the double-engine government. He outlined key priorities, starting with the Yamuna. He said the Yamuna was revered by millions of people. It is going to be the centrepiece of the symbol of Delhi. This was done by Modi ji in Gujarat with the Sabarmati riverfront development. There is a commitment to clean the Yamuna and have a world class riverfront. We are committed to transforming public transport with the introduction of 13,000 electric buses which will hugely improve air quality. Clean water for every home is another priority, and we will ensure that the people of Delhi get the benefits of Modi government’s policies, which were previously opposed by the state government. The city needs to look like the capital of the world’s fifth-largest economy, and we will make that happen. You will see our manifesto promises being implemented in five years.

Q/ What are the priorities of the new government?

A/ The people of Delhi have given us a mandate for five years, and we will deliver on our promises. I can assure you that in the very first cabinet meeting, several key items will get approved. It could be from our manifesto, such as Ayushman Bharat and Direct Benefit Transfers for women and several other things. We have a system in place for monitoring the manifesto, and we will ensure that we deliver what we promised.