‘Response to PMs rallies in Udupi, Mangaluru unprecedented’

The Interview
Mahendra Singh, the minister of state for rural development, medical and health in the Yogi Adityanath government in UP, in spite of compulsions of ministerial post back home, does not shy away from an electoral battle. He has handled election action for his party in Assam, Haryana, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Tripura before heading for election-bound Karnataka.

In charge of the two mammoth election rallies that Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed in Udupi and Mangaluru, Singh ensured that every nitty-gritty was taken care of.

Excerpts:

How do you perceive people’s response to PM Modi’s rallies?

I have handled elections in various states and this is my first political assignment in Karnataka. The response to PM’s rallies in Udupi and Mangaluru is unprecedented and beyond imagination. It was like of flood of humanity that descended on the two places and our arrangements fell short. In Mangaluru, the PM’s motorcade had to wade through a sea of humanity lined up to greet him from the airport to the venue, which was overflowing.

Has the PM’s rally changed the election tempo in the district?

Undoubtedly. One cannot compare the public response that the PM’s rally has received in the coast compared to the rest of Karnataka. Both in Udupi and Mangaluru, there were as many people waiting outside the venue compared to those inside. This mass overflow of emotions is possible only with PM’s rally and the coast has reciprocated to it, which PM has assured to repay with interest in the form of accelerated development of the two districts. It is this undercurrent (of sentiments) that will see BJP storm ahead to form government in Karnataka.

Where you surprised when people did not want translation in Udupi and Mangaluru?

This is what I describe as emotional attachment of people of the coast with Modi. His popularity in 2018 has increased more than what it was in 2013-14 when he was rallying the party ahead of the general elections in 2014. This also helped the PM cover lot of ground with issues he wanted to spell out and ideas that he wants to share through such rallies.

Your take on attacks on Yogi for his presence in Karnataka election campaigning?

The opposition has nothing left to target my CM with. They are flustered with the rising Yogi-Modi-Shah popularity across Karnataka and trying to stop him with their barbs and insinuations of neglect of UP. Despite his requirement to campaign for the BJP in various places, governance back home in UP has not lagged one bit.