People want a local candidate who understands their issues: Maratha Virender Verma

The Tribune interview: Maratha Virender Verma, NCP (Sharad Pawar), Karnal

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-Sharad Pawar) state president Virender Maratha, with INLD support, has filed his nomination papers from the Karnal Lok Sabha seat. He is contesting against BJP candidate and former CM Manohar Lal Khattar, Congress candidate and Youth Congress state president Divyanshu Budhiraja, JJP candidate Devender Singh Kadyan and BSP's Inderjeet (Navjot) Jalmana. Maratha belongs to Ror community, which has a sizeable vote bank. He founded the Ekta Shakti Party in 2003 and unsuccessfully contested six elections. In an interview with Parveen Arora, Maratha speaks on different issues, including challenges and hopes from this election. Excerpts:

How do you see the electoral battle as you are contesting against former CM Manohar Lal Khattar?

This electoral battle is a clash between outsiders and locals. Both BJP candidate Manohar Lal Khattar and Congress candidate Divyanshu Budhiraja are outsiders imposed on people of Karnal and Panipat districts. It is not acceptable to the constituency. They want a candidate who is local, someone who understands their issues and lives among them. I believe they will elect me because I am from Karnal and know the issues of the general public.

If elected, what would be your priorities?

The region has been neglected for long. My priorities would include the shifting of toll plazas, upgrading the domestic airport, modernising the Karnal railway station, and laying railway line between Karnal and Yamunanagar. I want to generate employment opportunities by attracting industries to both districts and establishing ancillary units of IOCL. I assure people that there will be no unemployment, and people won't need to risk their lives by going abroad through 'donkey' route. If there is a local leader, institutions like KCGMC can reach the level of PGIMS. During Sharad Pawar's tenure as Agriculture Minister, Karnal got the Indo-Israel Centre of Excellence for Vegetable at Gharaunda, but unfortunately, due to government apathy, it could not be developed. If elected, I will upgrade the milk cluster and milk plants to surpass branded companies.

How do you assess the performance of the state and Central governments?

In the state, the government kept people busy with paperwork instead of delivering results and developing the state. Be it family or property ID, people are busy getting errors rectified. The government has made KYC mandatory for everything, which has also affected people. The Centre has failed to create job opportunities and control inflation.

What challenges do you anticipate as you have lost six elections earlier?

I had contested the elections with the support of people. I will give a tough challenge to opponents during this election. There is a huge resentment among people against sitting MP Sanjay Bhatia and Khattar. The resentment could have shifted towards the Congress, but since its candidate is an outsider, the vote will likely shift to me. I am confident of victory.

INLD has extended support to you. Will you extend support to Abhay Chautala in Kurukshetra, where the Ror community has a significant presence?

Yes, we will support Abhay Chautala in Kurukshetra, and people will vote in favour of the INLD candidate there.

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