Udayavani Interview: "Committed to solving farmers' issues in the next 5 years," says Kota Srinivas Poojary

Kota Srinivas Poojary shared his thoughts and plans after his resounding victory in the Udupi-Chikmaglur Lok Sabha seat with a huge margin. He emphasized his commitment to addressing the issues faced by areca nut and coffee growers, as well as the fishing industry, by leveraging central government schemes to find solutions within the next five years.

Here are the excerpts from the interview:

Did you expect such a large margin of victory?

I was confident about winning, but I didn’t expect to win by such a large margin. If the victory has exceeded expectations, it is due to the coordination of BJP-JD(S) workers and leaders. The efforts of H. D. Deve Gowda, B. S. Yeddyurappa, H.D. Kumaraswamy, B. Y. Vijayendra, and others have contributed to this victory.

How do you feel about your journey from Gram Panchayat to Parliament?

The party has elevated an ordinary worker like me from being a Panchayat member to entering the Parliament. Therefore, I am always indebted to the party. This is a significant election. The effective leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the various schemes of the central government, and the trust people have in Modi have all contributed to this victory.

How did you get a lead even in constituencies where your party has no MLAs?

In Karkala, Udupi, Kaup, and Kundapur, our party’s MLAs started the campaign from the first day of the candidate announcement. The strength of the MLAs enabled us to gain a larger lead in the four constituencies of Udupi. In Chikkamagaluru too, our party and JD(S) leaders fought unitedly. As a result, we secured a good lead.

Winning again after the defeat a decade ago… How does it feel?

I contested against Jayaprakash Hegde in the 1999 and 2004 elections in the erstwhile Brahmavara Assembly constituency, as per the party’s instructions, and lost. I accepted those defeats with the same respect. The party gave me another opportunity to contest against him in the Lok Sabha elections, and I lost again. Now, I have won.

Hegde is a strong leader of the Congress. There is no personal rivalry. I have always considered elections as elections and politics as politics, beyond individual contests. I only remember the victory. I always respect Hegde’s seniority.

Will language be a challenge?

Within the next five and a half months, I will learn Hindi and respond to everything after that. It’s not a challenge; I will learn.

The NDA has secured a majority. Will it form the government?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has increased the nation’s honor. He has implemented many laws and regulations with a focus on reforms. He has achieved several milestones in the country’s development and economic improvement. Congress tried to entice the voters in the final phases with Rs 1 lakh to women voters, which dented our calculations. However, the NDA will govern (at the Center), and Modi will continue as Prime Minister.

Translated from Kannada interview by Raju Kharvi Koderi