Through the internal crisis in the BJP, home and transport minister R. Ashok maintained a stoic silence which made both factions count on him. His standard answer to the media was that the party should be allowed to take a firm decision. Now, he let has made it clear that he is a contender for the post of deputy chief minister. Realising that caste is an important factor in the current circumstances, Mr Ashok has unabashedly identified himself with the Vokkaligas. When Deccan Chronicle caught up with him, he was rushing to Coimbatore to attend a Vokkaliga meeting. During a brief chat, he explained the implications of a Vokkaliga backlash. Here are excerpts from an interview:

With the appointment of Jagadish Shettar as chief minister, do you think the internal crisis in the BJP will end?
Yes. This time, the central leadership has taken everyone into confidence before arriving at this view. This decision was taken considering the future growth of the party and to gear it up for the next assembly elections. We will now focus on development.

When Sadananda Gowda was elected CM, people in the state were assured by the party that the BJP government would focus on governance and would not let factionalism affect governance. But it has been proved wrong.
The manner in which Jagadish Shettar was chosen CM designate and the circumstances under which Mr Sadananda Gowda was chosen as legislature party are different. Last year, an election was held and a lot of bad blood was created. This time, the party evolved a consensus bringing all factions together. So, groupism will not rear its head again.

With the elevation of Mr Shettar a Lingayat leader, OBCs and other communities including Vokkaligas may desert the party.
Realising that it has to strike a balance between all, the party decided to create a DCM post this time. I think this will send the right signal to everyone and prove we are giving Vokkaligas too their due. This will help MLAs from different communities to face the election with confidence under the party symbol.

Historically, Vokkaligas have not supported the BJP in a big way. To date, that trend seems to have continued. In such circumstances, do you think Vokkaligas will back the BJP?
Barring Mandya and Hassan, we made inroads in almost all districts. There was a time when the BJP was considered a Brahmins’ party and later it was branded as a Lingayat party. Who made D.V. Sadananda Gowda the chief minister? I was given two plum portfolios. The people from the community are watching all this. The party has never faltered in respecting the sentiments of Vokkaligas. Of course, there was a time when people would identify only with the Deve Gowda family. It is no longer the same now. You take the case of BBMP. There are 52 Vokkaliga corporators from our party out of 112 while the JD (S) has only five. We have 15 MLAs from the community in the BJP. The Vokkaliga footprint in the BJP is expanding.

You were made the in-charge of Mandya district and the mandate was to take the party to the grassroots. You seem to have failed in your mission.
There was a time when BJP did not have a single member in any of the local bodies in the district. Today, I have 65 gram panchayat members. Our candidates got not less than 5,000 votes in several zilla panchayat seats. This was not the case a few years back.

With your leaders facing so many charges and failing to provide good governance, how do you think you can face up to the polls?
Let’s discuss the graduates’ constituency poll results. The party won five seats out of six. The voters of these constituencies are considered to be sensible and proactive. When they reposed confidence in us, what more evidence do you need to prove my point? Coming to the second point, who isn’t facing charges now? You say BJP leaders are facing charges so voters will reject the party. I can point out the names of two former CMs of the Congress and one from JD (S) who are linked to illegal mining. People walking on the street can level charges against anyone. It is not the BJP alone which is facing problems. We are all sailing in the same boat. If rival parties attempt to make corruption a poll issue, it will boomerang.
Finally, you are the in-charge minister for Bengaluru too. Developmental activity is stalled with no sense of direction.

The city corporation commissioner, M.K. Shankaralinge Gowda is an efficient and hard working officer. This year, we prepared a realistic budget and were not swayed by fancy figures or unattainable tasks. Recently the state cabinet approved Rs 900 crore for various projects in the city. The funds would be spent on development of parks, construction of flyovers and lake conservation activity. It is a misplaced notion that we have not given a direction to city development. There was a time when you could hit mud roads once you cross Jayanagar in the south and Hebbal in the north. Now, wherever you go, you can experience the luxury of very good asphalted roads. We have given a thrust to the conservation of 40 lakes. There was a time when they could not reclaim one lake, but now, we are conserving 40. This is a big achievement. A national survey on salubrious environment for living has given the No. 1 rank to the city. This sums it up all.