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Pramod Kumar and Deepak Kumar Rath
Every election throws up its share of political blockbusters and boxbusters. Winners and losers look at the outcome from their unique angle and style. It is time for both jubilation and introspection?to learn some lessons?to prepare for the next round. After all, elections are a great leveller. Organiser correspondents Pramod Kumar and Deepak Kumar Rath spoke to a very special team of leaders across the socio-political spectrum of our national life. Read on.?Ed.
?BJP-Shiv Sena alliance is for all times to come?
?Sanjay Nirupam, Shiv Sena leader
Why did the NDA face an unexpected defeat in the general elections?
Multiple reasons are attached to it. We can say that the policies implemented by the NDA government must have had some inherent faults, which could not fulfil people'saspirations and expectations. The common man, who had a firm belief in the NDA government had to face a number of problems in his day-to-day life. It may have been price rise of essential commodities or of petroleum, diesel and gas.
The country'slabour problem has been getting acute day by day. The NDA government could not find any solution to it. Due to liberalisation, the farmers? interests were marginalised. Unemployment problem was not tackled successfully as it should have been. Forcefully imposing the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) and the process of disinvestment cannot be called pro-people moves.
The NDA government protected the interests of our farmers only at the last moment at Cancun, although Murasoli Maran had established a base for it in Doha. But before that, our farmers had to fight a tough battle to subsist. Another thing that created a problem was the large inflow of Chinese goods into the Indian market.
We should have concentrated on production-based industries which could en-hance our country'seconomy. Loss-making public sector units were closed down. It is important to promote private sector marketing. Now there is a good market price for cement and steel in the international market and this shows that the private sector can excel.
Despite being a popular leader of Shiv Sena, why did you lose the election to Sunil Dutt?
I was not as popular as Sunil Dutt and for this reason I lost the election. I was also a new face in the constituency where he has already been a known face. Earlier, Sunil Dutt won the election with a margin of more than one lakh votes, but this time he won the elections with a low margin of 40,000 votes. Also this time NCP was not in the fray, whereas in the previous elections it had played a vital role. Anyway, I am sure we will show better results next time.
Will the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance continue in the coming assembly polls in Maharashtra? The Congress government is ruling both at the Centre and in the state.
The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance would be there for all times to come. The Lok Sabha election result of 2004 in Maharashtra shows that the alliance had a strong base in rural Maharashtra. In near about 175 rural Assembly segments, the alliance led. To form the government in the state Assembly, it needs to get 142 seats, and I am certain that the BJP-Shiv Sena combine will form the next government in Maharashtra.
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