Two time Minister in Congress governments and now national BJP national vice-president D. K. Aruna is only one of the two women fielded by the saffron party in Telangana and is trying to win the Mahabubnagar Lok Sabha constituency after having lost last time from the same place. In this interview, she explains why people will choose her this time.
Are you not fighting an uphill battle since all the Assembly segments were won by BRS in December last?
Everyone knows this election is about the nation and the vision for its development so they have a fair idea of who should be in the government at the Centre. People are looking up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, even those who had voted for other parties in Assembly elections. There is a lot of opposition to the Congress government as they feel it has cheated in not fulfilling the promised guarantees and the free bus scheme is beset with reduced number of vehicles. On the other hand, the Modi government has a proven record of giving free foodgrains, loans for street vendors, financial assistance to farmers, free vaccines during Covid, respect for women in constructing toilets, etc. About four lakh people had benefited in this constituency from such schemes.
Are you banking on Mr. Modi’s charisma alone or are there other issues in the constituency?
PM Modi is a strong leader and everyone wants him to lead the nation again because of his work to benefit the poor and for the country’s development. People have confidence in him and he has worked towards the preservation of our cultural heritage. The slogan now is – Modi for Delhi and Arunamma for ‘Palamuru’.
But, the Congress and BRS claim the BJP has done nothing for Telangana in the last 10 years.
Whatever development you see in the villages it is because of Central funds whether it is farmers’ centres, mid-day meals for children, roads and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme (MGNRES) works where wages have been enhanced to ₹310 a day from ₹100 but payments are not being paid promptly by the State government instead of paying every week.
Why do you think the people of the constituency will support you this time?
Everyone knows how I have worked for the constituency and erstwhile Mahabubnagar district over the years. I am available for the people, unlike my opponents. The current BRS MP did nothing and the contribution of even Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for the area is ‘zero’. Everyone is also discussing the ‘cheap’ talk being made by the ruling party against me. Our constituency is backward. It needs better educational and employment opportunities for the youth besides healthcare centres as well as houses for the poor.
How confident are you of winning the election and as the senior leader of the party are you campaigning in other places also?
I am 100% confident of winning. Though I have been asked, I am unable to give time to campaign in other places being myself a contesting candidate. But, I have been visiting the neighbouring Nagarkurnool constituency for a few meetings and holding frequent discussions with the cadre there.
