Tejasvi Surya, incumbent MP from Bengaluru South, who is recontesting, made a pit stop to savour lunch at a BJP worker’s house in Koramangala. Days after he was heckled at a meeting over Sri Guru Raghavendra Sahakara Niyamita bank scam, an unfazed Mr. Surya interacted with the party workers over food before sparing his time to speak to The Hindu.
Excerpts from the interview:
What are your contributions to the constituency?
The very first challenge we addressed after I was elected was the pandemic. We ran the country’s largest oxygen concentrator unit and supplied oxygen to more than 2,000 people. We revamped four defunct hospitals, adding 350 oxygen beds. I managed to augment medical resources for the people even when 40,000 to 50,000 cases were being reported in a day. As a team, we supplied medical kits directly to homes in Bengaluru South.
Why are Guru Raghavendra Bank depositors unhappy with you?
Indeed, the depositors are grateful to me but for some Congress stooges. Close to 80% of depositors who put upto ₹5 lakh received their money because I pushed for the amendment of the Banking Regulation Act in Parliament and fought the case in the court. For the first time, we brought cooperative banks under the control of the Reserve Bank of India. Secondly, we increased the deposit insurance amount from ₹50,000 to ₹5 lakh and made sure money was credited to the depositors’ account within 90 days.... At the meeting, one person who created the ruckus was a committed Congress person and another person was seen taking instruction from Congress leaders on a video call.
Why did civic woes go unaddressed when BJP was in power? For instance flooding in Mahadevapura. Were you in touch with State leaders over the issue?
Mahadevapura constituency strictly does not come under me. But when flooding happened near Sony signal in Koramangala, as an elected representative, I coordinated with the stakeholders to resolve the problem. The BBMP was unable to build a stormwater drain as it would pass through defence land. I spoke to the Defence Ministry and got required permission to build the same. After this, there was no instance of flooding in the area. Although the issue of stormwater drain does not come under me, I intervened as the problem concerns people from the constituency.
Is the electoral bond issue a setback for the BJP?
No. It will not be. Because people understand that the intent behind the electoral bond was to ensure clean money coming to politics and there is a money trail. The Supreme Court (SC) in its wisdom has pronounced this particular judgment. I am confident that whenever there is an appeal or review or whenever people reflect on this issue, they will realise that the electoral bond is a better mechanism than giving money in suitcases or gunny bags.
But it was only after SC directed SBI that the names of purchasers of bonds were released...
Now that the names have been revealed, the matter has ended. But the very premise of the electoral bonds was that the donors would be kept under anonymity for the obvious reason that they may be subjected to political vendetta.
How confident are you of winning again?
In Karnataka, the Congress has fielded the children of many sitting (incumbent) Ministers. The Congress in the State is essentially fighting elections to build careers for their children. I am here fighting to build a nation and build careers for the youth of the nation. The people will definitely understand this difference.
You too have a political background, your uncle is an MLA.
Before I became an MP, no one knew who I was. I am now recognised not just in my constituency but across the nation for my work. It just so happens that my uncle is an MLA, but people do not identify me with him because I have independently carried out my works.
