Kasba Peth bypolls: I believe in people and the work we have done for them, says BJP’s Rasane

With the Kasba Peth bypoll inching closer, senior leaders of both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) have gotten busy campaigning for their respective camps

With the Kasba Peth bypoll inching closer, senior leaders of both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) have gotten busy campaigning for their respective camps. While Kasba is traditionally a BJP stronghold, the party is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the victory of its candidate Hemant Rasane. Excerpts.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Hemant Rasane (HT PHOTO)

It seems that the BJP has taken this bypoll very seriously because its outcome will determine the direction that Maharashtra’s politics will take in the foreseeable future.

The Bharatiya Janata Party takes every election seriously. For political parties, elections are the opportunity to put forth their views before the public. The BJP fights elections to convey its ideology as well as development agenda to the common public. We are doing it this time as well and all our workers along with those of our alliance partners are campaigning hard for my victory.

Kasba Peth which is a central part of Pune faces many issues. What are the highlights of your campaign?

We are fighting the polls on the Hindutva and development plank. Our Hindutva is not against anyone as we also believe in taking everyone along in our journey of development. The BJP after coming to power in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in 2017 executed projects with a long-term positive impact on the people. Be it the 24x7 water scheme or metro rail, these projects along with other initiatives such as the Punyadarshan bus service helped people considerably. There are 1,500 new buses added to the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) fleet, offering better services to commuters. Building roads as per urban design guidelines, accidental insurance to property tax payers, medical college/s run by the civic body, free pathology test services for senior citizens and the river rejuvenation project are some of the major initiatives the BJP has undertaken while in power. We are going to polls with all these initiatives having been started for the people.

The earlier concept of urban development was very limited and the work undertaken was of a smaller nature. After Narendra Modi came to power at the centre, the approach towards urban problems became serious. The process of development in big cities is complex in nature and takes more time as well as long-term vision. Accordingly, when I was the standing committee chairman during the five-year reign of the BJP in the PMC, various policies were implemented and decisions were taken to carry out developmental work.

Your political opponents have joined forces this time. Is that a challenge for you?

I do not know if my political opponents have been united in this election. Their might is limited and Kasba peth has always been a BJP stronghold. Since we are powerful here, they may be attempting to join hands to challenge us. However, I believe in people and the work we have done for the people here.

You have been a member of Ganesh mandals?

Ans. I take pride in saying that I am a worker of Ganesh mandals. As a Ganesh mandal worker, I got inspired to work for the society and in public life. As the mandals carry out various social activities, it helps shape workers and as a result, they become part of a family. In my case, all workers consider me their family and have joined hands to work together to ensure my victory.

Are all communities (including the Brahmins) in Kasba peth with you in this election?

The motto of the BJP is ‘Sabka saath, sabka vishwaas’. This is being experienced by various communities in Kasba peth since the past 40 years. That is why BJP is the most preferred party here and as a result, we have been winning here.