Q Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently walked hand in hand with you after inaugurating the Shivamogga airport on your 80th birthday. What is your equation with him?
A Modi ji has a lot of faith in me. The whole world lauds his leadership and we see people giving him and [Union Home Minister] Amit Shah a rousing welcome everywhere [they go]. At the Shivamogga (airport) function, around one lakh people had to go back as there was not enough space to hold them. That is the extent of people’s support to the party and its leadership.
Q You have retired from electoral politics, yet the BJP projects you as its main leader in Karnataka. Does it imply that the party has no one to match your popularity?
A Modi ji might be talking about me because of his affection for me. But you cannot overlook the fact that Basavaraj Bommai has done commendable work as chief minister. In fact, his decision to enhance the quota for the SC and ST communities is historic.
Q What are the BJP’s prospects in the upcoming assembly elections?
A I am confident we will win 130 to 140 seats. I say this because I have toured more than 60 constituencies and everywhere there was a crowd of 15,000 to 20,000.
Q The BJP’s best performance was 110 seats in 2008. Where and how will you get the rest for a majority (113)?
A I am confident that all our sitting MLAs, barring a couple, will win. We are focusing on another 35 to 40 seats across the state where we stand a good chance. That makes it 130.
Q The BJP is hoping to win seats in the Old Mysuru region, which usually sees a fight between the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular). Will the Vokkaliga belt see a triangular fight this time?
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Pressure Points
Author and MP Shashi Tharoor and motivational speaker Gaur Gopal Das on how to find healing and meaning in today's world
War Over Wounded Earth
For the BJP andthe Congress, the ravaged farmlands of Vidarbha represent a cxitieal battleground in their larger struggle to win Maharashtra
Say no to continual elections
Following the recommendations of a high-level committee led by former president Ram Nath Kovind to streamline the widely scattered schedule of national, state and local elections, the Union cabinet has reportedly approved two constitutional amendment bills for likely introduction in Parliament. Predictably, the return of the ‘one nation, one election’ issue to news has set off a flurry of objections by several opposition leaders.
Fabulously, fashionably funny
The third season of the Karan Johar-produced Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives dropped on Netflix, but articles criticising the show appear in some news site or the other almost daily. If it is so bad, why keep writing about it? And if it is so bad, why would the superpowers at Netflix, who are harder to meet than the prime minister, commission the show season after season?
All in the family
The Chitaras have been passing down the secret art of Mata Ni Pachedi through generations for more than 400 years now
Raise a toast to Vidya Balan
Vidya Balan is a New Year baby. At 45, she is aglow in the most beautiful way, having won the hearts and admiration of countless fans across the world, who watched the supremely talented actor take a public tumble on stage at a high-profile promotional event recently, sharing the platform with no less a dancer than the eternally graceful Madhuri Dixit.
Death no bar
Being alive is not a legal requirement to be elected president of the United States
The Lotus POTUS
You should visit us one of these days— there is so much excitement in our USA! No, I don’t mean the famous USA—the Ulhasnagar Sindhi Association of Mumbai.
RAY OF HOPE
Actor and cancer survivor Lisa Ray talks to oncologist Dr Jame Abraham about inner strength and her surrogacy journey
LEVERAGE AI TO ENHANCE WORK
AT THE WEEK Health Summit, Siddharth Bagga, head (retail, CPG and health care), Google Cloud, elaborated on the significant work that Google has been doing in health care through artificial intelligence (AI).
