A 68-year-old cardiologist is gearing up to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Mumbai South against Milind Deora from the Congress and Arvind Sawant from the Shiv Sena. Dr. Anil Kumar will be fighting on a ticket from the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), a coalition of Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh chief Prakash Ambedkar and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

A practising cardiologist for more than three decades, Dr. Kumar, who is currently attached to Bombay Hospital, hopes to win over the people with a promise to spend time and money on things that matter. “Cleanliness, hygienic living conditions, safe drinking water, and education will be my key focus areas. As a doctor, I truly believe that health is wealth,” he said.

Dr. Kumar also hopes to put forward his plans by reaching out to as many people as possible through public meetings. As a doctor, he said, he has always been social and vocal. He said his party has a large standing among the masses, which will make it easier for him to interact with them. Dr. Kumar, a resident of Worli, was also attached to the State-run JJ Hospital as an honorary doctor till Sunday, but had to step down as the post would be considered an office of profit.

Dr. Kumar had been mulling over contesting for the past two years. “I kept feeling that I was not playing a role in changing the system,” he said.

Ayushman Bharat

It was the launch of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat that made his decision stronger. “Ayushman Bharat has simply given a backdoor entry to insurance companies and the private sector where most of the money is going. The government is wasting 30% of the money on them,” he said. “I am not a politician, I am a doctor. I know these systems in and out. If I get representation in Parliament, I will aim to change such policies and systems,” said Dr. Kumar, who admires efforts made by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi.

No signs of worry

Dr. Kumar does not feel threatened by the contestants he will be pitched against.

“Mr. Deora is a very good person. But he had not lived up to the expectations people had from him. The Congress has done nothing in the past 70 years. Mr. Sawant is known as the boss of MTNL but I hear that employees there have been facing salary issues,” he said. “BJP, I feel, is working against the Constitution of India.”

He said all the politicians work for themselves. “In all these years, I have got so many requests from politicians who referred patients to me. They would say the patient is from their constituency or ask for waiving off the charges. But no one ever asked to take good care and offer the best treatment to their patients,” Dr. Kumar said. “I want to work for the people, not myself,” he said.