(This story originally appeared in on Mar 20, 2014)

MEERUT: Mumbai's ex-police commissioner Satyapal Singh, BJP candidate from Baghpat-Baraut — an Ajit Singh bastion — spoke to TOI. The ex-cop is considered close to Narendra Modi. Excerpts of his interview:I was offered a safe seat in Mumbai, but opted for Baghpat. I was born and brought up here. The pathetic state of affairs brought me here.BJP has been in touch with me. I decided once I was convinced that politics will help me serve society.BJP's fighting on a different plank this time - development. Today's voter is in a state of disappointment due to lack of development on all fronts. Law and order is bad. Infrastructure is poor. Public facilities are in shambles. With voters in this highly disenchanted state, caste politics will certainly take a backseat.It's actually bad. A low conviction rate adds fuel to fi re. Law, like death, must spare no one. But strictness alone is not the solution. It is a social problem . There was a time when education here was really good. Take the Jaat College, Baraut. Students came here from far. Today thousands have registered here but attendance is never more than 200 (out of the thousands enrolled ). To do better in life you need to be educated, otherwise joblessness follows, and the jobless resort to antisocial activities.I fully support khaps. There are scientific reasons for this. Same gotra individuals have almost same set of genes so they can't produce good progeny . Also, the area is rural. Here, both men and women work the fields and there is lots of interaction. If every man considers a woman of his village a sister, chances of moral degradation are reduced.