This time, Modi cannot rescue BJP MPs, says Mansoor

Maqsood Maniyar | NT

Bengaluru: Congress Bangalore Central candidate Mansoor Ali Khan expressed confidence that he would emerge victorious from his seat which goes to poll on April 26.

The educationist, who runs nine schools in the city, added that BJP MPs can’t bank on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s persona.

He will take on BJP veteran and sitting MP PC Mohan, who has won from the seat thrice. Asked if there was antiincumbency against Mohan, Mansoor replied in the affirmative.

“Definitely, when I'm on the ground, when I go campaigning, there is dissatisfaction and a sense that people have been taken for granted. Because if you ask a BJP MP, what have you done? He says Modi. You ask what's your performance? He'll say Modi? How will you win elections? They'll say Modi. But the common man in the constituency will never meet Mr Modi. They want their MP to be available,” he said.

“You may be a three-time MP or you may be a fresh face who is contesting. It all depends on what work you've done in 15 years and what new vision I have to offer. See, finally, people want their elected representative to be performing. See, 15 years is a long time. A person who has contested for three terms, he can always lose an election,” Mansoor added.

'Bullish on city seats'

Khan also pushed back against the notion that three Lok Sabha seats in Bengaluru Urban were BJP strongholds, adding that they could be wrested.

“See, the last time, it was a close fought election (in Bangalore Central) but unfortunately bec ause of instances like Pulwama (insurgent attack on army personnel) and our alliance with the JD(S), it caused a disturbance.

Although, Mr Rizwan Arshad fought a very nice election, we lost. If you see the latest Assembly elections (2023), we were leading the constituency by around nearly 71,000. I feel the five guarantees of the Congress government are working on the ground and this will definitely be a big advantage to us,” Mansoor said, adding that people were unhappy with BJP MPs with their silence on issues affecting Karnataka such as delay in drought compensation.

‘State being starved of funds’

The Congress candidate alleged that Karnataka was being left high and dry due to a lack of funds from the Centre.

“Bangalore is an international city competing with others of its kind and it's an investment destination for India. How do we get our infrastructure right? We are the third highest tax paying state but for every Rs 100 rupees we get Rs 13. Moreover, the funds that we have to get from the Centre, we are not getting those funds in time,” Mansoor said, specifying pending projects like Outer Ring Road (ORR), Namma Metro and the Upper Bhadra Project.

He also denied that Karnataka Youth Congress president Mohammad Haris Nalapad was miffed because he wasn’t given the ticket for Bangalore Central, pointing out that he had campaigned for the party in the constituency.