HT Interview: “I don't approve of ‘Batenge toh Katenge.’ My politics is different,” says Pankaja Munde
BJP's OBC leader Munde has been touring the state as BJP anticipates that OBC consolidation will give them an edge over opposition parties
Mumbai: In Marathwada, a region that witnessed a sharp divide between Marathas and Other Backwards Classes during the Maratha reservation controversy, BJP's OBC leader Pankaja Munde is championing inclusive politics. Munde, who relinquished her assembly seat to her cousin Dhananjay Munde due to an alliance with NCP, has been touring the state as BJP anticipates that OBC consolidation will give them an edge over opposition parties.
In an interview with Hindustan Times's Surendra P Gangan, she discussed her stance against divisive politics and explained why she doesn't endorse the slogan 'Batenge toh Katenge', viewing it as contrary to Maharashtra's culture.
This is perhaps the first assembly election in 15 years when you are not contesting but campaigning for other candidates.
Yes, I am not a candidate, but I have been telling voters and workers to vote for our candidates assuming I am the candidate. In fact, I was looking forward to such a situation where I would ask for votes for others and campaign across the state, devoting time for the party. I am getting good response.
Marathas and OBCs are at loggerheads, especially in Marathwada. What do you think about this divide between the two communities?
If there is such consolidation, I think it is because of the love for me. If there is such divide, I have been travelling across the state to reduce it.
Is BJP trying to consolidate the OBC votes in this election, like it implemented the MADHAV (Mali, Dhangar and Vanjari castes) formula of social engineering in the past?
I have been campaigning since 2009 as a star campaigner. I do not think we are campaigning in the name of caste. We are campaigning by promoting the development agenda. During its nascent stage in the 1980s, the newly formed party was called the party of Brahmins and businessmen by our opponents, so it was the need of the hour to give it the face of inclusiveness. It is not even a strategy now as we have been working for people from the lowest strata, and it is the soul of our organisation.
Leaders have been divided along caste lines and their rallies are mostly being held in areas dominated by their castes. You are no exception to it. How do you see this?
There is nothing new or exceptional, and this has been happening for years. Rallies of the leaders are held where their followers are in large numbers. I have been campaigning for candidates of all castes, and it cannot be termed as caste campaign. Though we have been doing it for long, the view of looking at it has changed after Lok Sabha elections, I think.
While you have been campaigning across the state, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has held very few rallies in Marathwada. Has it been the Jarange effect as Manoj Jarange-Patil has been publicly targeting him?
I do not know about his planning, but even he has been holding rallies in Marathwada. We have a system of war room at party level through which the rallies of particular leaders are demanded and organised.
Do you see a bigger role in state politics after elections? Will the next CM be from your party?
I cannot say anything on this as it is a decision to be taken by our central leadership. As of now, I am not thinking about what will happen after the election. My role is till election.
You were sidelined for five years and you expressed your discontent for it too...
I never expressed my discontent, though there were talk shows and reports in media about me and my alleged unhappiness. There are leaders in my party too who expressed their unhappiness by posting on social media and holding press conferences. We follow the decisions of the party as it is our culture. We accept the party decisions and start working in the interest of the party. We accepted the party decision of refusing the Lok Sabha ticket to my sister and began working accordingly.
Did you evaluate your defeat in the Lok Sabha poll and the reasons behind it?
I do not think there was any need for evaluation as it was just by 6,000 votes. Given the terrible situation in which I fought, it was technically a victory for me. There is no point in discussing what happened in the past.
Has the situation changed?
I am not a candidate in this election. The victory or defeat of candidates depends on work, credibility, image of the candidates, and the good and bad experiences of voters. We only help them to guide. I think the atmosphere has now changed in our favour to the extent that we will form the government again. The fake narrative played a key role in Lok Sabha election and people have now realised that they should not vote to defeat the candidate but for development. Secondly, Modi government has already returned to power and people very well know that development is possible only if there is the same government in state as at the Centre.
You are talking about fake narrative in Lok Sabha, but some of your party leaders from other states have been setting the narrative of 'Batenge Toh Katenge'. How do you look at it?
My politics is different. I don't approve of it. Even if they are from my party, it is not necessary that I would endorse it. I believe only and only in development. I think every person has the right to breathe freely and it is the duty of every leader to accept them. So such issues should not be allowed here in Maharashtra. I do not know if the slogan was given in some different local context. We are not using it here. Prime Minister Modi has worked for justice to all sections of society irrespective of their caste, creed and religion by launching schemes like gharkul, free foodgrains, etc.