‘My work is enough to keep the support intact’: Gopal Shetty

Gopal Shetty, MP from Mumbai North and Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from the seat, speaks with Hindustan Times about his performance in last five years and contesting against actor-turned politician Urmilla Matondkar.

Q. You won the last polls with over four lakh votes. Do you think there will be similar support this time around?

A. Absolutely. In the last five years, I have tried to reach out to people in the constituency and worked with them on various levels – from solving local issues to national concerns.

Q. Over the last one month, Congress’s star candidate Urmila Matondkar has tried reaching out to Gujaratis, considered a traditional supporter of BJP. Do you see it as a challenge?

A. Not at all. I am a household name in the community and across the constituency owing to my work over the past several years. My work is enough to keep the support base intact.

Q. Some believe that anti-incumbency can play spoiler, as a lot of people who don’t agree with the BJP’s politics are likely to swing towards the Congress. What do you think about this?

A. Across the country, there is a great support for the party and its policies. From a strong stand against terrorism to our schemes for development, people are happy with the growth the country has seen under the Narendra Modi regime. There is no anti-incumbency.