As the BJP pulls out all stops for the Lok Sabha bypoll in Palghar, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi’s Hitendra Thakur says his party has the people’s mandate

Mumbai: Even as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena working president Uddhav Thackeray campaign for their party candidates in the run-up to the Lok Sabha bye-election in Palghar, local strongman and MLA Hitendra Thakur’s Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) remains a strong contender. Its candidate for the bypoll is former MP Baliram Jadhav. The regional party garnered the most votes in the seats it contested in the 2014 Assembly elections. It also dominates urban Nalasopara, Vasai, Virar and Boisar. Mr. Thakur tells The Hindu that his party is confident of winning.

What made BVA decide on contesting the bye-election?

This bypoll is only for 10 months. After the death of Chintaman Wanga, we’d clarified that we won’t contest if all parties consented to make it unopposed.

I hadd said the CM should take the lead in ensuring all three bypolls — two Lok Sabha and one Assembly — are decided by consensus. I was ready to cooperate. But I was firm on contesting if elections are held.

We had won the seat in 2009; when the ‘Modi Wave’ swept the country in 2014, out vote share actually increased, though we lost to the BJP.

It went up more in the 2014 Maharashtra Assembly elections, making us the biggest party here. Isn’t it natural that we should contest? There was no ambiguity among us.

While you have the numbers, BJP is making all-out efforts to win.

Yes, BJP is going all out. From UP’s CM to leaders from Gujarat and Rajasthan, BJP leaders are campaigning in the constituency. One wouldn’t believe the manner in which the government machinery is being used for the party’s campaign here, be it police or civic administration. The kind of money we’re seeing in this bypoll is unprecedented.

The Shiv Sena has brought in all its corporators from Mumbai and Thane. This means the bye- election isn’t easy for either party.

Voters are being showered with promises, but they should remember that we won 109 of 115 urban seats.

Our people are working tirelessly, while leaders of these parties are busy making false promises. Why only Yogi, bring Modi and Shah; people know these leaders will come and go. It’s the BVA, our MLAs, our corporators who will remain on ground after they are gone. I’m confident that people are clever and will make a wise decision.

Were you approached for a pre-poll alliance?

I’ve made myself clear that they should decide first, be it the Congress, Sena or CPM.

An alliance would have sent out a different message, but when it came to showing strength, I was not the one to back down.

The CM claims voting for your party won’t bring development. What can a lone BVA MP do?

For the last four years, the BJP MP has been working, backed by his government which has absolute majority. What did he do? In 2009, our lone MP extended the railway line till Dahanu, piped gas came to the area.

Numbers don’t matter; what does is how much effort you put in. We have only three MLAs, but have solved the area’s water problem. Your will power matters.

You seem to be the common enemy. How do you see it?

Relations between the Sena and is like that story of two friends, in which one visits the other for dinner and runs away with his wife in the morning. Less said the better.

The Congress is non-existent: it couldn’t even secure its deposit in the Assembly elections, except for one. Vivek Pandit, who had opposed the BJP over the malnutrition issue, is supporting the party now.

There were reports that you were reluctant to campaign.

Absolutely false. People of Nallasopara, Vasai and Virar know BVA will be here after the dust settles. BJP and Sena are scared of the BVA and are spreading these false stories.

Your position on the bullet train project?

Infrastructure is necessary, but at what cost? Instead of spending over one lakh crore on the bullet train, use that money to improve local trains here. Why should only our people give land, be it the Mumbai-Vadodara highway, Delhi-Mumbai corridor and now, the bullet train? Tribals are certainly being looted. How many people are going to benefit from the bullet train? Only 5,000? What is the ratio of capital expenditure to beneficiaries? We are against all unjustified projects.

Parties have called for an end to ‘goondaism’ in the area, referring to you.

I don’t care what other politicians say about me, but for what my people say. I have a tainted image, but those who are said to have a clean image lose elections. Why? Vasai tehsil has the highest literacy rate; would they have elected me if I was as bad as other politicians claim? After all, if they don’t call me names, will you media guys give them publicity?