My Priority for Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Constituency is Total Development – Pramod Madhwaraj
Udupi: As the battle escalates for the 2019 parliamentary elections, the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha constituency will be witnessing an intensive political fight. This constituency once helped Former Prime Minister Late Indira Gandhi bounce back to lead the country. Udupi-Chikkamagaluru which has always remained the strong political bastion of Congress, with the coalition factor rolling in Karnataka, the high command decided to sacrifice Udupi-Chikkamagaluru to the JDS.
Known for his sheer political intelligence, former Congress Minister Pramod Madhwaraj will take on BJP sitting MP Shobha Karandlaje. Pramod Madhwaraj shared his political feelings with Mangalorean.com
1. Being a staunch Congress leader, how does it feel to seek votes under the banner of JDS, what is the voters’ perception on this?
PM: People have no issues with me contesting under the JDS banner and I can make out very clearly while touring the twin districts. The anti-incumbency factor will be a boon to me.
2. What are the issues you highlight while seeking votes?
PM: Udupi-Chikkamagaluru is muddled with various issues, the sitting MP Shobha has not made the least effort to solve any of the issues haunting the constituency. It is very clear that the Kasturirangan Report will be implemented in Chikkamagaluru. The Gorak Singh report is in vain, farmers depending on arecanut are facing severe problems. Tribals are being evicted. The MP has failed even in introducing necessary amendments in CRZ Regulations enabling sand mining. She has even failed to visit the constituency. The price for coffee, arecanut and pepper has been dropping drastically and efforts by the MP in addressing these issues in parliament are in vain. All these issues are being positively highlighted to the voters for seeking the votes.
3. There are 7 BJP MLA’s in the LS constituency, what is your action plan?
PM: People are already upset with the functioning of BJP MLA’s. The party workers of BJP even launched the ‘Go Back Shobha’ campaign which reflects that the BJP is losing its ground. The Congress MLA in Sringeri has brought Rs 300 crores grant for his constituency in 11 months. The BJP MLA’s are masters in delivering speeches while Congress MLA’s strive hard for the development of their constituency. Voters are convinced that Shobha Karandlaje will not work for the constituency.
4. When BJP is banking on Hindutva, what are your priorities?
PM: “My priority towards Udupi-Chikkamagaluru is total development”, if the constituency develops, the state and the nation will also develop.
BJP is not the service provider of Nationalism. The party only professes Hindutva, but the plight of their Hindutva activists reflects their concern towards Hindutva.
Cow protection is only a lip service delivered by BJP, while I have turned my words in action on cow protection. Have any BJP leaders initiated efforts towards constructing a cow shelter? I have constructed 25 cow shelters, which caters to different breeds of cows.
33 crore gods and goddesses reside inside the cow BJP professes that Cow has 33 crore goddesses, it has colored everything with saffron and has painted lotus only to woo the voters.
5. Is there Modi wave in Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency, as BJP is seeking votes in Modi’s name?
PM: People should understand that Modi is contesting elections in Varanasi and not in Udupi-Chikkamagaluru. The constituency needs an MP who works for the people and those who fool the people in the name of Narendra Modi.
Seeking votes in the name of Narendra Modi is like asking a bride to marry showing the face of the bridegroom’s father. Those who seek votes in the name of Narendra Modi should go to Varanasi, I will sponsor the train ticket for them. Narendra Modi will not come here to solve the problems in our constituency.
6. Shobha Karandlaje has named you as a child of circumstances, what is your opinion?
PM: “I am the son of Malpe Madhwaraj and Manorama Madhwaraj, born and brought up in a cultured family, I am not a circumstantial child”, Shobha Karandlaje has given her Bengaluru address while filing the nomination papers. To be the voice of the people here she doesn’t even have a house in Udupi-Chikkamagaluru.”
Shobha Karandlaje is trying to cover up her failure making baseless allegations, if voted to power I will be the voice for the people of the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru assembly constituency.
7. You carry a bag while canvassing for the elections, does the bag contain solutions for all the problems?
PM: When I was the Minister, I was carrying the appeals of the constituency to the government offices which led me to bring 2000 crore rupees to Udupi for development. I was awarded the best MLA among 224 MLAs in Karnataka. “It is the ‘go back Shobha’ Campaign that is haunting Shobha Karandlaje”, it reflects her Zero contribution to the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency.
I am committed to serving the deprived and the poor, every appeal which is sent to me has life in it; I will serve the constituency in the best possible way.
8. BJP has alleged that you have insulted the Indian Navy in regard to the missing fishermen?
PM: “I have said that the Defense Minister and the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP have failed in intensifying the search operations for the missing fishermen, the BJP is trying to politicize my statement. Three months have passed and the whereabouts of the missing fishermen is still not known. The Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and MP Shobha Karandlaje have failed to deliver justice to the families of the missing fishermen. Doubts have been raised on the fishing boat being hit by the Indian Navy vessel and that the Indian Navy has just played a drama in the name of search operations.
“Shobha Karandlaje while filing her nomination had said that Pramod Madhwaraj is a novice while she has not uttered any truth on the missing boat along with the fishermen”.
9. What are your developmental objectives, if elected?
PM: My priority is to lead the constituency towards communal harmony. Promote the tourism industry and facilitate jobs for our youth. Leading development in fishing, railways, national highway and other sectors. Special focus will be on the drinking water issues, unemployment, and sea erosion.
If elected, I will have a house in Chikkamagaluru, visit every village and solve the issues faced by people, he added.
