Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Subramanian Swamy has predicted that the party will not only come back to power in the next parliamentary elections but also improve its tally.
“There is no anti-incumbency against the BJP government,” he said.
Explaining the reasons behind his prediction, he said the Opposition is a “motley crowd” and there is widespread desire even in Tamil Nadu that the Ram temple must be built.
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Mr. Swamy answered a volley of questions in his inimitable style without mincing words on a variety of issues in conversation with political journalist Bhupendra Chaubey during the Solstice alumni event at the Indian School Of Business here on Saturday. Later, he interacted with mediapersons briefly.
“If the Ram temple becomes an election issue and if Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and P. Chidambaram, who are out on bail, are made to stand on trial, the public will be satisfied that the BJP has done enough to get another term,” he said.
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The Archaeological Survey of India, at the directive of Allahabad High Court, submitted a report after a scientific study that a large Vaishnav temple did exist earlier where Babri Masjid was constructed. This was after the P.V. Narasimsha Rao government gave an affidavit that if it was scientifically proven a temple pre-existed where the Babri Masjid stood, they would give the land to build the temple.
He said Narasimha Rao’s commitment on part of government of India would apply to the BJP government too. The Supreme Court had also ruled a prior judgment that masjid is not an essential part of Islam as valid, Dr. Swamy said and added that the fundamental right to pray was a superior right.
Asked why the Ram temple issue was being made a central theme of next election when Narendra Modi won the 2014 election on development plank, Mr. Swamy said, “We won the elections last time on three planks — Mr. Modi’s leadership, anti-corruption and Hindutva. The other two issues are left standing.”
To a question on why the BJP has not done well in the five States, including Telangana, in the recent Assembly elections, he said it is for the National Council meeting on January 11 or 12 to analyse the reasons, he said.
Economic field
Dr. Swamy, however, admitted that the performance of the government was poor in economic field and job creation, but that would not impact the outcome of next elections if more focus was given to Hindutva and anti-corruption agenda.
He asserted that demonetisation was not a wrong move but there was no preparation to implement it properly. “Its impact was felt in the recent Assembly elections as there was no other issue,” he said.
On Shaktikanta Das’ appointment as RBI governor, Mr. Swamy labelled it a wrong decision as he had been “earlier removed from the Finance Ministry for trying to interfere in the corruption case against former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram”.