JOIN US‘AAP talks development, Amit Shah knows only hate, so BJP talks hate’
From being a trained medical doctor to a top cop, from the corporate world to politics, Mangaluru-born Ajoy Kumar has traversed diverse fields with ease. After a stint in politics with the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) and then with Congress in his adopted state of Jharkhand, Ajoy Kumar is now playing a key role in the Aam Aadmi Party campaign in the national capital. He spoke to DH’s Sagar Kulkarni on the AAP’s prospects in the February 8 Assembly election.
Q. How is the AAP campaign going?
A. Basically, we are going to the people with the work we have done over the past five years and the honesty with which we have done our work. Our achievements are stupendous. In terms of schools, roads, water, electricity, delivery of government services at the doorstep and free bus rides for women and students. A Delhi family is saving, on an average, Rs 30,000 per year on account of the policies of the AAP government. These are not freebies, we are calling them support.
Q. But BJP is focusing on Shaheen Bagh?
A. Look, the people of Delhi have learnt about the BJP by now. Like Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recently said, we are with the people of Shaheen Bagh, we are with the people of Shalimar Bagh, Sangam Vihar, Burari – we’re with everyone in Delhi.
The reason BJP wants to run this campaign against Shaheen Bagh and polarise voters is because that is the only thing they know. People have seen in the past 15 years how the BJP works, particularly in running the municipal corporations in the capital.
Amit Shah does not know anything else. He does not know development. Initially, Amit Shah spoke of schools and development, but realised that it was not working (for his party). He only knows hate. He is trying to build the campaign on hate. He is personally leading it. I don’t think he knows anything else. We are in politics to change the narrative. We are going to talk development.
AAP refrained from speaking out openly on anti-CAA protests.
The anti-CAA protests are about changing a law enacted by Parliament. We have nothing to do with changing the law.
Obviously, we do not think that it is the right law and we voted against it. But the Delhi elections should be fought on issues facing Delhi – pollution, schools, health, transportation, environment. There is no point fighting Delhi elections on issues like Pakistan.
Q. Are you confident of repeating the 2015 performance?
A. I think the message on the ground is very clear. Everywhere we go, we find people are supporting us. We don’t want to sound arrogant, but the people of Delhi have made up their mind. We are not saying we will wipe out ‘X,Y or Z’, we are saying we will do outstandingly well, we will form the government.
Q. Is AAP not leading a Kejriwal-centric campaign?
A. At the end of the day, we have to ask, Kejriwal versus who? He is the face of the government. We have tall leaders – Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, Gopal Rai. Of course, when you are fighting an election, Kejriwal is the captain of the team. AAP is a great team and it would not have been a great team if Kejriwal wasn’t around.
Q. Are there parallels between the Anna Hazare-led agitation and the Shaheen Bagh protests?
A. The people of Shaheen Bagh are protesting on a very specific issue. It is for the Home Minister of India to assuage their feelings. They (the Centre) have to go there and speak to the protesters and come with a solution. The BJP cannot counter a protest by its own agitation. For example, a protest by workers for higher wages cannot be countered by a dharna by the management of the company.
AAP’s favourite issue of separate statehood for Delhi has been missing from the campaign.
It is still an issue. We want to serve the people of Delhi better. There are a lot of challenges to doing that. Despite all these handicaps, despite all the pressure (on us) by the Centre, the Kejriwal government has delivered.