Exclusive | Lok Sabha elections 2024: Contesting because Sansad ne bulaya hai, says Sudhir Mungantiwar

Pic/Satej Shinde

Sudhir Mungantiwar, a six-term MLA and state minister, exuded confidence about wresting his hometown Chandrapur from the Congress. He said he would be part of PM Narendra Modi's vision of achieving the ‘400 paar' mark. In an interview with mid-day, the leader shared his vision for Chandrapur.

Mungantiwar said he visits Anandwan to absorb its positive vibes and energy ahead of the election, emphasising his longstanding connection with the place.
In an interview with mid-day, the leader shared his vision for Chandrapur and dismissed any notion of a "sympathy factor" favouring his Congress rival, Pratibha Dhanorkar, the MLA from Warora and widow of the late Congress MP Suresh ‘Balu' Dhanorkar.

He emphasised there is a strong sentiment of anti-incumbency among the people of Chandrapur, asserting that they are prepared to rectify the "mistake" they made in 2019 by voting for Congress.

You were initially reluctant to contest the polls and had conveyed this sentiment to the top leadership in the party. Your candidature now has prompted the Opposition to question the democracy within the party. What would you say about that?
I have extensively studied the life and times of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and I firmly believe in dedicating my life to his teachings and thoughts. Over my forty-year political career, serving as the MLA and guardian minister of Chandrapur on three occasions, I have spearheaded various schemes and projects aimed at the development of the region. Initiatives such as establishing a military school, a women's university and facilitating the upcoming Tata Cancer Hospital are testament to this commitment. My endeavours are driven by a desire to globalise the legacy of Maharashtra and my revered Shivba [Shivaji Maharaj]. One notable effort includes signing an MoU with the Victoria and Albert Museum in London to repatriate the iconic wagh nakh [Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's knuckleduster with metal nails resembling tiger claws] While initially, I believed there were numerous projects that demanded attention within the state, I later realised that this may be a sign for me to undertake larger endeavours. Now, the time has come for me to utilise my experience and bring forth more schemes and projects in Chandrapur from the Central government. It's a call from Parliament (Sansad ne bulaya hai), which is why I am contesting in this election.

About democracy within the party I would say, people keep talking about all sorts of things. It was just that opportunity should be given to a person who has the potential to do good work. Modiji might have thought about that in my case.

Sudhir Mungantiwar, BJP's Chandrapur candidate

Do you think the sympathy factor could work in favour of your rival Congress candidate as widow of former MP, Balu Dhanorkar?
What sympathy? People know what is happening around them and they want progress and development, not sympathy. It won't be a tough fight. The candidate has been a legislator from Warora but what have they done for the constituency? I challenge them to list down at least 21 development works. The former MP and MLA seem to have neglected the constituency. A public representative, whether from the ruling party or Opposition, needs to be alert, dedicated and sensitive towards their electorate. People will not repeat their mistake of voting for Congress like they did in 2019.

How achievable do you think is PM Modi's call for ‘Abki baar 400 paar'?
It's not just a matter of feasibility; it's about trust. In our country, whenever PM Modi sets a goal, it tends to materialise with an almost 99.9 per cent accuracy. Look at the examples of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. We've witnessed similar outcomes in the past two Lok Sabha elections as well. Modi ji possesses dur drishti [foresight] and divya drishti [divine vision]. Personally, I am confident that BJP will secure 370 seats, and when combined with victories of NDA allies, we will surpass the 400 mark.

Environmentalists have been highlighting concerns about thermal power plants and the pollution they cause. Do you have a plan to address this?
If elected, I will prioritise addressing environmental concerns and work towards resolving them, alongside efforts for the comprehensive development of the constituency. The Congress has consistently ignored this issue.

What do you consider important for the LS election?
Visible development is a key focus of this election. Take, for instance, the quality of roads in Chandrapur and the construction of highways and other infrastructure projects across the country. In the past, the Congress neglected Vidarbha, but now it is receiving its fair share of attention. Major irrigation projects stalled for decades are finally being completed. Additionally, Prime Minister Modi has a vision for uplifting the poor. We will progress forward with his vision and our dedication.

The greenfield airport you proposed in Chandrapur was scrapped by the Forest Advisory. Will you push for it if you win?
Not only will I advocate the greenfield airport, I also have numerous other projects in mind for the region. Given the opportunity, I will vigorously pursue all of them. This includes initiatives such as establishing a direct train route from Balharshah to Mumbai and Balharshah to Pune. I will also work towards implementing a broad-gauge Metro line from Nagpur to Balharshah and Vande Bharat trains between Nagpur and Hyderabad. I am committed to enhancing railway stations and have plans to establish a dedicated MIDC for agro-based industries, similar to how I established the Forest Industrial Development Corporation.

Congress cries foul

Congress chief spokesperson Atul Londhe wrote to the state chief electoral officer demanding cancellation of Mungantiwar's candidature and imposing a ban on him and the BJP from contesting any elections. His letter alleged that Mungantiwar and his party committed egregious violations of electoral laws during the public meeting at Chandrapur on Monday.