Sita Ram Singla is one of the senior most BJP leaders in Haryana. He has seen the ups and downs of the Party since its inception. A long time RSS worker, Singla stood for elections from Gurgaon twice, and won in 1987 - and was also appointed a minister in the coalition government. Having served the Party for long, Singla says that he always longed to see the day when the BJP would become a formidable force in the State. Prior to this Lok Sabha election the ‘Saffron Party’ was mainly considered an urban phenomenon in Haryana. However, the major success achieved under the leadership of PM Modi has given good hope of a BJP win. Singla, who is 76 years old, foresees a great performance by the Party in the 2014 State election. “We will be able to form a government in Haryana because the people have understood that regional parties are not going to help them, and the Congress is failing them. A disciplined BJP leadership, with appropriate internal checks and balances, will deliver good governance,” asserts Singla. He believes that local parties like INLD and Haryana Janhit Congress are parochial, and cannot see beyond their specific districts and constituencies. “Even the present Chief Minister could finally not see beyond his own constituency, and discriminated with the people from the rest of the State - which will bring about his and the Congress Party’s downfall,” he says. The Congress, he adds, has been downright corrupt both in the Centre and the State, and has been responsible for uncontrolled inflation, nepotism and land scandals. He says that it is important to bring the Congress rule in Haryana to an end so that the discrimination in jobs and growth, and with industry, is ended. Singla admits that BJP was an urban force a couple of years ago, but things have changed. And, particularly for these elections, the BJP leaders from all parts of Haryana have joined solidly together, motivated by Narendra Modi. He has great faith in the ability and honesty of PM Modi, with whom he also had the chance to work when the Prime Minister was a RSS functionary, and was active for a long period in Haryana. “I am an optimist and have great hope in the idea of India. Modiji has been inspired by the RSS, which is a nationalist organisation and espouses the idea of ‘Nation First,” asserts Singla.
On the election, he says, “We have a strong cadre and good leadership across the State. And we are fighting the election on the basis of ideology and policies - not on the basis of any wave.” When asked why the Party was not announcing a candidate for the post of Chief Minister, Singla says that it should be the prerogative of the elected MLAs to choose their leader. The promise of acche din, which the BJP had promised during the Lok Sabha polls, will be realised soon here, asserts the BJP leader. “The people in Haryana are tired of corrupt governments and now want someone who rules as per principles, and is serious about governance, “ Singla says.
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