Says DPCC president and the party's candidate from the North East Delhi constituency Jai Parkash Aggarwal
Says DPCC president and the party's candidate from the North East Delhi constituency Jai Parkash Aggarwal
Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president and the party's candidate from the North East Delhi
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constituency Jai Parkash Aggarwal is facing the BJP's giant killer BL Sharma Prem. Prem, who has defeated two DPCC presidents in earlier polls, is gunning for a third win.
In an exclusive interview to MiD DAY, the two-time Lok Sabha member and current Rajya Sabha MP spoke about his "friendly" relationship with Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and prospects of his victory.u00a0
Do you think you will be able to match the popularity of Jagdish Tytler, who you've replaced as the Congress candidate from North East Delhi?
I believe that the party is bigger than a candidate. People fight elections on the party symbol. Even voters cast their votes considering the party and not individual candidates. My leader Sonia Gandhi is backing me and that is all what matters. The District Congress Committee, the Block Congress Committee and everyone else in the organisation is backing me. So, I don't think I will face any problem in winning. I have as much chance of winning as anyone else.
It was reported that you were not interested in contesting the Lok Sabha polls. What made you change your mind?
I am not a dictator. I am an obedient and disciplined soldier of the party. The party asked me to fight the elections. And I said yes.
Have the shoe-throwing episode and the Sikh agitation against Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar affected the Congress' prospects of winning from Delhi?
The shoe-throwing episode will not affect our results. We will win all the seven seats (from Delhi).
Every candidate is wooing the youth in these elections? How do you plan to get their vote?
Our party manifesto stresses on youth empowerment. Our focus will be on generating job opportunities and increasing the reach of IT education.
What are the other issues with which you are going to the voter?
We will go to the people with our achievements of the past five years. We will also discuss our plans for the coming five years.
The relationship between the DPCC president and the Chief Minister has always been controversial. How will you term your ties with Sheila Dikshit?
There has never been any difference of opinion between Sheila Dikshit and me. Have you read any media report in the past one- and-a-half years talking about any rift between us? No report of any confrontation between us has ever appeared in the media, because there has never been any. There has always been full coordination between the DPCC and the chief minister.
Will you use new-age tools like blogging and SMS to woo voters?
I prefer the traditional way of campaigning. I used to go on padyatras (marches) and door-to-door campaigns for votes. These help me to remain in constant touch with the people of my constituency.
During the hectic election schedule, how do you destress?
I love to be surrounded by people. It is my way of relaxing. I have seen my father (the late Ram Charan Aggarwal, a senior Congress leader) working with people throughout the day. I am a simple person and don't have any fancy hobby. I start my day early by meeting people from my constituency. I like helping those who are in distress.u00a0 I also like traveling. I learnt driving at the young age of 13.
Your father was a veteran Congress leader. What is the earliest memory you have of him?
My father was a seasoned politician. He contested in around seven elections. When I was a child, I used to come home from school and see my father meeting unending queues of people. My job was to offer them tea. I think I inculcated the habit of spending time with people from him. I was very close to my father. I have seen politics right from my childhood.
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