BJP is confident about winning over 400 seats: Piyush Goyal

Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who has handled several portfolios such as the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Railways, Finance, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Textiles and more, is all set to contest the Lok Sabha election 2024. The BJP candidate, who is contesting from the Mumbai North seat, is campaigning extensively every day. In an interview with The Hindu, Mr. Goyal said the election is going to be a clean sweep for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in all seats in Maharashtra.  

In your three decade-long political career, you have never contested direct elections before. What made you contest for this election when you have been a minister through Rajya Sabha? 

The party leadership and Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji thought that many of us who have been in Rajya Sabha for two or three terms should now look at going into the people’s court, getting connected directly with the people and in a way also experiencing the ground realities and situation, so that we can do our job better.   

As an MP, since 2010, you have handled several portfolios. How excited are you for yet another new role? 

I am hugely excited because for 40 years I have been working for the party in various elections in different roles, always supporting other candidates to get elected. This is the first time I am a candidate. It gives me an opportunity to understand candidates’ psychology and I think this will help me emerge as a much more sensitive person, getting on the ground, engaging and connecting with day-to-day issues. I am a Mumbaiker, so I am very familiar with the issues of Mumbai.  

I do believe that the advantage of public life and politics gives one the chance to impact millions of lives with one stroke of the pen. Therefore, for me, politics is a medium to make the difference that you wanted to see in others. We have been doing several initiatives under Prime Minister Modi’s guidance and leadership to implement very far-reaching improvements in different areas wherever I have served in 10 years.  

I am sure this new innings will give me an opportunity to look at newer areas. Modi Ki Guarantee Sankalp Patra talks about rehabilitating slum dwellers through redevelopment of their slums and redevelopment is obviously in-situ where they are already staying. Redeveloping those slums is so that low-income families can also get a good quality home.