Three-time MLA of the SC reserved constituency Madhira, Bhatti Vikramarka predicts a 78-82 seat victory for the Congress.
Published Nov 28, 2023 | 12:19 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 28, 2023 | 1:28 PM
Bhatti Vikramarka. (Supplied)
Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader in the Telangana Assembly and a staunch loyalist, is considered a possible chief ministerial candidate if the party comes to power in the 30 November election. The MLA from Madhira (SC) constituency is confident of the Congress getting 78-82 seats.
A three-term legislator, Vikramarka is modestly frank about the possibility of him becoming chief minister. If he, a Dalit, gets the opportunity to serve as chief minister, he will dedicate himself to the cause of social justice, he promises.
Here are the excerpts of the interview with South First:
Q. What makes Congress confident about victory in Telangana?
A. It is because the Congress is the only party that can make the aspirations of the Telangana people a reality. We have been telling the people of Telangana that and, finally, they have realised that they want the Congress to come to power to fulfil people’s aspirations.
Q. How is the campaign coming along?
A. The campaigning is going very well. It started a long time ago when Rahul Gandhi launched it in the name of Bharat Jodo Yatra. I undertook my padayatra, named People’s March, for four months. My PCC [Pradesh Congress Committee] leader has conducted public meetings, and senior leaders in their respective regions have successfully finished their campaigns.
Q. Do you think gaps in guarantees in Karnataka, like power, will impact Telangana elections?
Bhatti Vikramarka with Priyanka Gandhi. (Supplied)
A. All guarantees given by the Karnataka government were approved in the first Cabinet meeting. That is the first success. A guarantee of free rides for women reached more than a crore; this means so many women have travelled free in buses. With regard to power, there is one thing that should be understood. Implementing it depends on the previous government’s policies of planning and production.
In Telangana, the quaity of power is ensured thanks to the vision and planning of the previous Congress governments. They launched power projects, and by the time of bifurcation, these projects started producing power which the current government distributes and enjoys. But in Karnataka, the previous BJP government did not have a proper idea, planning, and vision. They never began any power project. The present Congress government is managing despite the worst current conditions. That is not a lapse of the Congress in implementing the guarantees.
Q. You have won from Telangana thrice. Do you feel invincible, considering you have been saying that a hundred KCRs cannot defeat you?
A. I have the trust of my people, and we have a mutual bond. It is because the Madhira people are very progressive. They want their vote to be more useful in solving the problems of not only Madhira, but people of Telangana. They know that I can do that, and they want their aspirations to be heard in the Assembly and outside the Assembly, which I have made possible. I asked unemployed youth, the farming community, and weaker sections and sectors of the population. They are happy. They want someone who can give value and respect to the constituency, which I will keep doing.
Q. People of Madhira address you as Bhatti Anna. What new promises have you made in your capacity as a candidate?
Congress MLA Bhatti Vikramarka. (Supplied)
A. In the Madhira constituency, the occupation is agro-based, and most people depend on agriculture. Other than that, they have nothing else to do. So I tried my best in my tenure as MLA to build anikatta (dams) on three rivers in my constituency so that water enters the farms.
I designed drinking water schemes, creating a local source, filtered and piped it to all the villages. Educational institutions, hospitals, fee reimbursement, and infrastructural facilities such as ROBs and Aarogyashree cards were executed in Madhira. Also started agro-based units which can give value to the agricultural produce, such as paddy-based units and chilli-based units.
Now, when the Congress forms the government, my plan of years ago will be implemented — setting up Indiramma Dairy to help women self-help groups. I want to make women shareholders in the industry. All single women will get not less than two cattle to sell the milk and earn twice the income. I have designed the plan and taken women to see the Amul factory.
Q. The popular question is, do you see yourself as a chief minister candidate of Telangana? As a Dalit CM, would you like to take the Congress’ social justice pitch forward?
A. Not only a leader coming from the Dalit community, I am also a leader of the Congress party representing all the sections. My basic commitment is to implement the Congress ideology which is to carry everybody along, share the wealth with all the people, and give an equal opportunity. If given the opportunity to be chief minister, it will be my responsibility to serve, but it is something that will be decided by the Congress party and not by me, an individual.
Q. What do you make of Prime Minister Modi’s assurance of internal reservation for Madigas?
A. Narendra Modi has been prime minister for 10 years now. This issue has been there for a long time, and it was presented to him by ministers of the BJP, but they did nothing. Only during election time he creates a drama about internal reservation. As far as the Congress party is concerned, it has passed the resolution and sent it to the Union government to take a decision in Parliament and pass a Bill. If the decision is taken, Congress will support it.
Q. A year ago, the Telangana Congress wasn’t in any shape to fight elections. There was a lot of infighting. What has changed now?
A. It is not like one year or two years back. So many cumulative factors have made Congress fight it out. For the past 10 years, we have been telling the people of Telangana about the misdeeds of the ruling government. This time, the people of Telangana have realised that whatever this man [Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao] has been telling us is to cheat us, the whole wealth which was to be distributed to people has been taken by his family members. A separate state has been formed, past wealth is there, and they have their government and ₹5 lakh crore of loans, but nothing has changed. We are explaining it to the people.
