Won't focus on North Karnataka alone, will pay attention to South: C.T. Ravi
Chikkamagaluru MLA and former minister C.T. Ravi, the rising Vokkaliga leader of the BJP, has the blessings of both the Sangh Parivar and the party which believe he can be a strong Hindutva face in future. Having good oratory skills, Mr Ravi is now actively involved in shaping party programmes and policies. The party plans to project him and expand its base in Vokkaliga dominated constituencies in the old-Mysuru region. He narrowly missed a chance to become party state president in 2016 but is confident he will become president one day. Acknowledging his quick learning and organizational skills, party national president Amit Shah has given him the responsibility of Tamil Nadu as its party co-in charge. Mr Ravi shared his views with Deccan Chronicle about party programmes and strategies for the 2018 Assembly elections. Here are excerpts.
The BJP has gained momentum after national president Amit Shah’s visit to the state. How do you assess the party position after Shah gave BJP leaders an earful?
Before Amit Shah visited Bengaluru, there was internal bickering which has now been solved. Mr Shah has given us a target of 150 plus seats and has asked for a master plan. He has categorically told us that poll tickets will be given only after conducting surveys- both internal and external. Following Shah’s visit, core committee meetings are conducted regularly every alternate week to discuss election related issues and decisions have been taken. The BJP is working under a collective leadership, all decisions are taken collectively.
Strong booth committees are the key to winning polls like in the Uttar Pradesh elections. What is the progress in constituting the booth committees?
Under the Vistarak programme, each vistarak has to take care of a minimum three and a maximum five booths. Booth strengthening does not mean only constituting booth committees, strengthening them is important. In each booth, there are 12 plus members representing all sections of society. After constituting booth committees, we have to ensure that 50 % or more voters in each booth are BJP supporters. In the state, 66,000 plus booths exist, the constitution of booth committees is underway. After this, the state booth committee will give a grade to each booth and also credit to party workers.
The party’s thrust is on winning maximum seats in North Karnataka, why is the focus less on South Karnataka?
Besides giving priority to North Karnataka, the party will pay attention to South Karnataka where it has a weak organizational base. In Uttar Pradesh, the party
concentrated on all 403 seats, that’s why we were able to win 325 seats.
Like B.S. Yeddyurappa, is any other leader in the party likely to change constituency in 2018?
The central leadership has asked Yeddyurappa to contest from North Karnataka, like him, the party will instruct another 4 or 5 leaders to change constituency. If the party asks me to change the constituency, I will do it. Our main intention is to win maximum number of seats.
The JD(S) has a strong Vokkaliga leader in Deve Gowda. Why has the BJP failed to project a strong Vokkaliga leader from south Karnataka?
No one can match the stature of Deve Gowda, because he has 65 years of political experience. Since the Bharatiya Janata Party promotes nationalist ideology, it cannot push for caste-based ideology or leaders. In the last 30 years, Yeddyurappa has been leading the party from the front and we have been fighting elections under his leadership. A leader like him who has vast political experience will naturally assume the mantle.
The BJP is depending too much on PM Modi in every election, in Karnataka too, your main strength is Mr Modi. Why do you depend so much on the Prime Minister?
Narendra Modi emerged as a strong leader when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat. At one time, Indira Gandhi was the unquestionable leader of the Congress. Now, when the party has accepted Modi’s leadership and people consider him their leader, it is obvious that we should fight elections under his leadership.
Along with issues concerning farmers and Hindutva, the BJP has decided to raise corruption pertaining to the ruling Congress in 2018. What moral right do you have to raise corruption when your leaders were involved in so many corruption cases?
We will raise the corruption of the Congress in the forthcoming Parivarthana rallies. We have zero tolerance for corruption, when corruption charges were made against Yeddyurappa, the party leadership asked him to step down. But the Congress government is thick skinned, each department is involved in one corruption case or the other.
Did the BJP fail to assess the public mood on the issue of separate religion status for Lingayats?
Common people are not bothered about the ongoing campaign of Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil, who does not have political maturity. The Congress ruled the country and state for so long, why did they not make any effort to provide separate religion status? Religion is all about worship and emotional issues but Mr Patil is involved in a political game. By merely asking for religion status, one cannot say Lingayats are not Hindus. People know the Congress is indulging in diversionary tactics.
The BJP also failed to tackle the issues of a separate state flag and the two-language formula in Karnataka effectively.
It was the Congress which adopted the triple language policy for Karnataka, the BJP has nothing to do with it. People of Karnataka won’t support fanatics, they will think and act. I don’t understand the policies of the Congress government , are they really concerned about Kannada or is their agenda anti-Hindi? If the Congress is concerned, they have to promote Kannada medium schools. Will shutting down Kannada schools in the state help promote Kannada? The Chief Minister has given permission for more English medium schools.
Why is the BJP unable to take corruption related issues concerning the Congress government to their logical end?
The Siddaramaiah government has completely ignored public opinion. In fact the Bharatiya Janata Party raised many issues in the last four years, but this corrupt government does not respect public opinion. To hide its misdeeds, the government has constituted the SIT. The CID is no more Criminal Investigation Department, it is the ‘Clean Chit Investigation Department’ as it is giving clean chit to Congress leaders accused in corruption cases.
