Somnath Bharti, three-time Malviya Nagar MLA ,defends the AAP-Congress alliance

New Delhi: Somnath Bharti, AAP’s Lok Sabha candidate from New Delhi, is the party MLA from Malviya Nagar and has won the seat thrice since 2013. Bharti is a lawyer and has held portfolios such as law, tourism, administrative reforms, art and culture as a cabinet minister in the first AAP government in 2013-2014. Bharti spoke to HT’s Paras Singh about his campaign and priorities for Lok Sabha elections. Excerpts from an interview:

According to you, what are the most pressing issues in the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency ?

In the last two elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had succeeded in making the entire election (discourse) about Modi. But this time, they are not succeeding. People are disenchanted with their performance and how the democracy has suffered under their rule. The BJP is projecting it as an election of the PM. The party does not want the people to look at their candidates at all. But, in elections, candidates matter. People of my area [Malviya Nagar] have been repeatedly voting for me over the last four elections due to my work and the work by the Aam Aadmi Party.

Your opponent from the BJP, Bansuri Swaraj, is also an advocate like you. Do you expect a close contest with the the BJP?

Prime Minister Modi talks often talks about dynastic politics. He is against dynastic politics but the BJP candidate in New Delhi is a symbol and product of dynastic politics. She has no other qualification except being the daughter of a renowned BJP leader. Modi talks about ‘kaamdar’ versus ‘naamdar’. She [Bansuri] has no public work to her credit.

How do you think your experience as a three-time legislator will help you as an MP? What are your plans for the constituency, if you get elected?

In Malviya Nagar assembly constituency, we created 83 mohalla WhatsApp groups. One person from every house is a member of the group, and we ensure home delivery of services rendered by the area councillor/MLA, through these groups. People just need to share their name, address, contact and the problem they are facing. I personally monitor every mohalla group along with the mohalla coordinators. This will be replicated across New Delhi. The previous MPs were never available to people. We will bridge the gap between people and their MP. We have earmarked sites, parks and colonies where people can meet their MP.

What are your immediate priorities for the New Delhi LS constituency?

The restoration of roads and basic infrastructure is my priority. The pedestrian pathways need to be freed and the original width of the roads will be restored. Similarly, the policing system needs a major overhaul and we need to bring more trust in the system. The police stations should be people-friendly and accessible. The groundwater level in our area has gone down to as low as 400 feet. We need to ensure a major thrust on large-scale capture of rainwater and create new rainwater harvesting pits.

This is the first time that the AAP is contesting in alliance with the Congress under the INDIA bloc. Delhi Congress has seen a lot of turmoil recently with the resignation of DPCC president Arvinder Lovely and some other former MLAs. How is the alliance working out at ground level in New Delhi area?

People have understood why the two parties have come together. BJP doesn’t even worry about its opponents getting at least a level playing field. These things used to happen in Pakistan where the political opponents were jailed. The Constitution is under the threat. That is why the Congress and AAP formed an alliance. Anyone who has faith in democracy and the Constitution will not sabotage this alliance and the possibility of defeating BJP. At all my local meetings, the Congress office bearers join us. They are on stage with us.

How has the arrest of the Delhi CM [Arvind Kejriwal]impacted the campaign? What is the feedback you are getting from people?

March 21, when they arrested Mr Kejriwal without any proof, is the defining moment and the dividing line. People are angry that the person who gave them hope with good schools, mohalla clinics, free power has been put behind bars. People are angry and they will vote for us. The arrest was purely done to make sure that Kejriwal is prevented from joining the election campaign.

There are some controversies associated with you....there’s a perception of an angry person. How do you react to that?

I am no longer a newcomer. I have been there for 10 years. In Khirki, I was fighting against the drug mafia and human traffickers. I am a first generation lawyer and a first generation politician. My mother was a teacher. I don’t have the luxury of being a politician’s son. People have brought me here... I have helped many people who did not have lawyers to represent them.

What is your message to the voters who are still undecided on who to vote for in New Delhi?

They must link the vote to work and make them [the representatives] accountable, answerable and available. People have to judge us on three grounds -- pariwarwaad versus jantawad, kaamdar versus naamdar and Lalit Modi ka vakil versus Vikram Buddhi ka vakil.