In 2019, you won from Medinipur. This time you are contesting from Bardhaman-Durgapur. How challenging is this seat?
In the last one-and-half months, I have become familiar with Bardhaman-Durgapur constituency. When I was the state unit president, I had visited every mandal in this constituency. Therefore, any constituency across West Bengal is not an unknown territory for me. This time, I am visiting more villages and connecting with voters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have already campaigned here. The campaigning is almost over. We have done our part. Now, waiting for the votes to be cast.
What is the feedback you are getting from the people?
After interacting with the voters, I have understood that they want peace. They don’t want to see any more corruption or political violence in Bengal. People are fed up with the TMC government and want relief from the ruling party’s atrocities. They want a change in the state government. This can only happen if the BJP remains in power at the Centre. Even people within the TMC will vote for the BJP as they too are tired of the reign of terror. This Lok Sabha election is going to be the semi-final and the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election will be the final.
The central leadership of your party says they are targeting to win 30 to 35 seats from West Bengal. As a former state unit president of the BJP, what is your assessment?
Five years ago, the BJP was at the nascent stage in terms of organisational strength in Bengal. Yet, we won 18 seats from here. Over the years, the party has gained more ground and organisational strength. Today, we have over 70 MLAs and so many MPs. We have their support. This was not available last time. (Before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP had only three MPs and three MLAs in West Bengal). We hardly had any prominent leaders except one or two. Therefore, there is a possibility that we will win more seats than last time.
When it comes to Lok Sabha seats, BJP seems to be on a weaker foot. Last time, BJP won seven of the eight seats in north Bengal, and 11 seats from south.
There is more political violence in south Bengal than in north Bengal region. Here, people get intimidated due to TMC’s terror. This time, the situation is changing, and the party will win more seats from the south. Besides, PM Modi has said that strong proceedings by the CBI and ED will be initiated after June 4 (counting of votes) against those who will indulge in violence and corruption. Therefore, TMC leaders and their goons are a little scared and refrain from indulging in violence. This was evident in the first three election phases, which were peaceful. I have a feeling that the fourth phase too will be more or less peaceful.
The Sandeshkhali issue has taken a new turn. Now, some women have come up saying they were forced by local BJP leaders to lodge false rape cases against TMC leaders.
First these women were branded (by the TMC) as outsiders. Then they produced ration cards and voter identity cards to prove the allegations wrong. A large number of women had lodged complaints. Not all complaints can be false. Only one or two have said otherwise. Maybe these women have been made to say such things. Who knows? But there are Shahjahan Sheikhs across the state. The TMC cannot give protection to each one of them.
The TMC has fielded former cricketer-turned-politician Kirti Azad against you. How do you see your challenger?
The TMC did not have enough candidates from Bengal and that’s why it brought an outsider. Even TMC leaders have not accepted him (Azad) as a candidate.