BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation and Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal does not seek votes based on what he did in the last five years for Bikaner. His speeches at corner meetings are more on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his style of functioning. “This election is to decide the Prime Minister of the country,” he tells people and adds that the vote for him is vote for Modi. Meghwal is facing a tough fight not just from the Congress, but also from some detractors in his own party. In an interview with BusinessLine, he accused the husband of AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, Robert Vadra, of hatching conspiracies to tarnish his image. Excerpts:

What is the focus of the campaign in Bikaner, a border constituency?

People on the borders, particularly farmers, are unhappy with the water-sharing treaties with Pakistan. They are not getting adequate water. They feel that Pakistan is taking away water, which rightfully belongs to them. They are angry. But they are happy that Modi has protected the country’s borders.

Farmers seem to be unhappy with what the BJP has done in the last five years…

Not at all. We have worked for the progress of each and every sector in the last five years. Be it agriculture, industries or social infrastructure, we have improved the situation. The Kisan Credit Cards have been of great help to people here. The canals have been repaired and the work has stopped seepage to an extent. We have increased the minimum support price on almost on all crops. Farmers get good prices now for what they produce. Procurement was an issue. It is under the State government. But there also, we have improved the situation.

There were reports that the upper caste in the area have some problems with you after last year’s bandh call by Dalit organisations…

It is a conspiracy against me. Whenever someone works intelligently and smartly without any favour or fear in the BJP, the Congress tries to target that person. When we were in Opposition, I raised in Parliament the land deals in which Robert Vadra is involved. By exposing corruption, I have made life miserable for Vadra. I am completely satisfied with the progress of the cases against Vadra. There are solid proofs against him. So, the Congress is hatching conspiracies which have no base at all. People here know me well. I have been with them for many years. They understand what is true and what is false.

Many see you as a future chief ministerial candidate after the party’s poor show in the recent Assembly elections...

I am a worker of the BJP. I work based on the assignments given to me by the party. Whatever the party asks me to do, I will do. The scenario during the Assembly polls has changed. Even then, voters had stated that they will vote for Modi for Delhi. They will vote in favour of the BJP now.

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