Almost a year ago, many eyebrows were raised when he replaced Nitin Gadkari as the state BJP president. The 48-year-old Sudhir Mungantiwar, a dynamic leader of the saffron party, is someone the BJP is trying to project as a GenNext leader. The four-time MLA hails from Chandrapur district in the Vidarbha region and is a good orator, both in the Assembly and at public rallies. As an Other Backward Class (OBC) leader, he is a staunch supporter of a separate Vidarbha statehood and has been making every effort to strengthen the party across the state. He spoke to Suyash Padate about his party, its alliance partner Shiv Sena, the possibility of a separate Vidarbha state and of course, about the ruling Democratic Front.
For a year or so you have been at the helm of the affairs of the state BJP and have been roping in people from the cross sections of society into the party.
When I took over the reins, I announced my top most priority as being the strengthening of the party in the state. The Congress says ‘Congress Ka Haath Aam Aadmi Ke Saath’ but in reality, the party has failed miserably to uplift the poor despite having been in power for several years. Our agenda is ‘Garibon Ke Sanman Mein, BJP Maidan Mein’. The state BJP has decided to launch a public outreach programme to collect one crore signatures from the people, pledging that they will never vote for the ruling Congress-NCP alliance again. The programme will be conducted across the state. We have succeeded in roping in people from different walks of life. We have decided to undertake a state-wide movement titled ‘Ghar Chalo Abhiyan’ (door-to-door campaign) during which BJP activists, leaders and elected representatives will visit each household and explain the party’s stand to the public. This exercise will certainly yield results in the forthcoming civic body elections.
You had recently appealed to the party workers to function in a different manner. What exactly do you expect from the rank and file?
One thing you have to accept is that the BJP has its own work culture which is markedly different from that of other parties. But I still think there is scope for functioning in a people-friendly way. The party office bearers should keep aside their ahankar (ego) and work for the betterment of the underprivileged sections of society. I have made it clear to our workers that only those who work for the BJP ideology would get posts in the organisation. I put forth an idea of self-appraisal to our party workers. The intention behind this is that they should know their strengths and weaknesses. They should try and give confidence to the people. You can do this more systematically only if you agitate on their behalf.
Have you been a staunch supporter of a separate Vidarbha state right from beginning of your campaigns?
I am a supporter of a separate Vidarbha. The BJP’s policy on the demand of a separate Vidarbha state is crystal clear. The party is in favour of creation of smaller states, as it expedites development and provides better administration. A separate Vidarbha is not an emotional issue. The issue is not even whether the state should be broken into two. We only want each underprivileged person in the region to be happy. I am working for every part of the state including Vidarbha, Marathawada and even Western Maharashtra, with equal passion. So please don’t mix up the issue. My stance is very clear and there should not be any confusion about it.
Your alliance partner, the Shiv Sena has not budged an inch from its stance of a unified Maharashtra. Will your standpoint create some strain between the two parties?
Our ties with the Shiv Sena are based on several important national and regional issues. Sena’s stand on a unified Maharashtra is not going to hamper relations between us.
Every party can have its own policy and views on different issues. The Sena and the BJP have entered into an alliance for the country’s benefit, and not for the sake of power. Ours is a two-decade-old alliance and is as such very strong. Any particular issue can’t put hurdles in our very cordial relationship. The Shiv Sena, BJP and RPI alliance is unbreakable even though there have been differences of opinion among the leaders.
The Sena chief has taken a dig at the Advani- Modi cold war. How do you react to it?
I don’t want to say much on this issue. However, I have already made it clear that the Sena chief and party Executive President Uddhav Thackeray should both restrict themselves to giving suggestions useful for our alliance, instead of criticising others. It is by and large seen that only those who cannot do anything resort to criticism.
Is there any scope for a fourth party to chip in ahead of the civic polls?
No not at all. There is no such scope. The party leaders have already made it clear and I am once again saying it. It is all the media’s guessing game, nothing else.
Many civic bodies are going in for elections by the end of this year and early next year. What are the prospects of your alliance?
You won’t believe it, but the chances of a victory for the Sena-BJP-RPI alliance are very strong. The failure of the state government is the prime reason behind it. The Democratic Front government has miserably failed on all the fronts due to which people across the state are in a mood to teach a lesson to the ruling Congress-NCP alliance. The situation in the state is worsening; farmers’ suicides and atrocities against dalits are on the rise. Failure in tackling terrorism has been once again underscored. Due to galloping inflation, people are struggling to make ends meet. The state government has lost its capacity to solve problems. People have become desperate and are looking for change, and our alliance is the only option before them. So the overall situation seems favourable for us.
Is the Khadakwasla Assembly by-election a litmus test for the alliance?
As I said earlier, the people are fed up with the Congress-NCP combine. The NCP leadership was aware that it is not possible for them to win the Khadakwasla seat on their own and hence it is trying to bank on sympathy votes. The party denied candidature to its own party men and wooed Harshada Wanjale. But this is not going to help.
The wise voters of Khadakwasla constituency will not vote for the party against which the late Ramesh Wanjale stood up and fought. The voters will also show their anger regarding the Maval firing incident by voting against the NCP candidate in the by-election.
“I am a supporter of a separate Vidarbha. The BJP’s policy on the demand of a separate Vidarbha state is crystal clear. The party is in favour of creation of smaller states, as it expedites development and provides better administration”