Hailing from a family of staunch Congress supporters, Ashish Deshmukh’s decision to contest the 2014 Assembly polls as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate came as a surprise to many. However he could not adjust to the party and resigned as MLA to return to the Congress before the Lok Sabha polls this year. Though he did not contest those elections, and his Assembly seat went to NCP, the young politician was asked to take on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur South West, considered as one of the most difficult seats for the Congress. He tells The Hindu why he feels this is the best opportunity for him, how the CM could not perform despite his five-year mandate, and why senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari is close to him.
You are battling one of the toughest battles in the State. What are you telling the voters of Nagpur?
Devendra Fadnavis closed down his residence in Nagpur and went to Mumbai five years ago. He has lost touch with the people and is considered an outsider. People here feel neglected. He has lost affection for the city. In last five years as Chief Minister he could not open a single manufacturing unit or big industry in Nagpur. Employment generation is zero. Then what is the use of having a Chief Minister from the city? The economic slowdown has affected existing industries where retrenchment is happening. There is anger against Chief Minister’s policies.
Devendra Fadnavis however claims to have brought development to the city. What is your response?
He is talking about Nagpur Metro or concrete roads. Did anyone ask for Metro in Nagpur? Where exactly does he want people to go in this Metro? The city already had good roads. Is this the development that a Chief Minister should be talking about? These projects have emptied government treasury. From national level to the State, such wrong policies of the government are putting financial burden on government, banks and ultimately on common people. Maharashtra happened to be the driving force behind country’s growth but now it is in a shambles. Mr. Fadnavis is to be blamed for this. My allegation is that he or the BJP is not at all working to bring prosperity, jobs and wealth in Vidarbha.
You quit the BJP at a time when party is at the prime of its performance. Do you ever feel that it was a wrong decision?
No. I understand that this is an ideological battle. Nagpur has always been with Gandhi and Ambedkar, never with Hegdewar or Golwalkar. I quit BJP because it is a party of loudmouths who do no work. Congress could not have given me better opportunity. The party is in my blood. Mr. Fadnavis is a symbol of all things wrong with the BJP and I will defeat him.
But he has emerged as the strongest leader in the party, be it Nagpur or Maharashtra.
That’s the difference between him and leaders like Nitin Gadkari. Mr. Gadkari kept cordial relations with all. On the contrary Mr. Fadnavis was aloof and kept himself busy in enlarging his own image. He will remain alone after elections as he will be defeated. He worked on isolating Mr. Gadkari, (Vinod) Tawde or Chandrashekhar Bawankule. It is going to have a strong reaction from the community that was traditionally with the BJP. While traditional Congress voters are with me, Mr. Fadnavis is going to face troubles due to ongoing Save Merit Save Nation movement.
Do you have cordial relations with Nitin Gadkari?
Of course. He is the one who helped me in politics. In 2014, I was one of the leading MLAs who made a demand to make him Chief Minister. Everybody knows it. I am sure that he will have his good wishes for me in this election.
What is the reason that the issue of separate Vidarbha is missing from this election?
I always worked in favour of this demand. I sat on fasts, arranged protests. I felt that BJP is positive on this. But they took no steps in the last five years. They are anti-Vidarbha. CM, while in opposition had moved a Private Member’s Bill for a separate Vidarbha seven times. He too protested, and approached the Centre. But when he was appointed as head of State, he became a Mumbaikar and forgot about Vidarbha. He says he will wait for the right time. I think, it is time to make him sit at home.
Nagpur Congress is infested with infighting and groupism. Is the party able to set aside differences and work as a unit?
The party is united from Delhi to every gully. We are all working together without any problem. But when a party like BJP which worked for five years only for collecting money is against you, it is obvious that the money will be used for elections. But it is the people who have decided to throw the BJP out.
