BJP confident of winning Gujarat, HP polls, says Keshav Prasad Maurya

Lucknow, Nov 12: Exuding confidence that the BJP will sweep the Gujarat Assembly polls, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said results will prove who is a "jabardast neta" (superb) and who is a "jabardasti ka" (forced upon) neta.

Maurya was also optimistic about the party's poll prospects in Himachal Pradesh, and said, "The party will win a comfortable majority in Himachal Pradesh." "In Gujarat Assembly elections, the BJP is going to register a comprehensive win. There is only one neta (leader) in Gujarat. He is our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. And, let me tell you the results of the Gujarat Assembly elections will prove that who is a "jabardast" (superb) neta, and who is a "jabardasti ka" (forced upon) neta," told PTI in an interview here.

On urban local body polls in UP, the deputy chief minister said, "Lotus has bloomed in 2014 Lok Sabha elections and in 2017 UP Assembly elections. It will again bloom prominently across the state in urban local body elections."

"The BJP has been winning urban local body elections in the past. This trend will continue. And, the people of the state very well know that when there is a BJP government at the Centre, the state and in urban local bodies, there will be no roadblock to development," he said.

Maurya also allayed fears about strain in BJP's relationship with its assembly election allies Apna Dal (Sonelal) and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP). "There is no strain in our relationship with election partners, nor we will allow it to happen." Recently, the Apna Dal(S) had decided not to contest the urban local body polls, while the SBSP decided to go all alone in the polls. The urban local body polls will take place in three phases beginning from November 22.

Results will be announced on December 1. Maurya, who also holds the Public Works Department (PWD) portfolio said, Uttar Pradesh is using new technology to construct roads. "The current technology, which we are using is perhaps one of the best. Recently, a team from Maharashtra visited UP to understand our technology, and may adopt it. We are recycling old material to make new roads. "This will increase the life of roads by nearly 30 per cent, while reducing the input cost by almost 30 pe rcent. The 8-9 months taken earlier in constructing a road, will get reduced to almost four months.

Apart from this, it will also minimise construction wastage." He also informed that plans are on to construct roads in areas coming under municipal corporations using plastic waste. On road signages, the PWD minister said, "An effort is being made to forge an attachment between the public and the PWD. The new road signages will display details of roads along with the name of local MLAs.

Apart from this, if the road passes through the native place of any freedom fighter or martyr, then the same information will also be mentioned on the signage." Maurya said MLAs have been asked to find out if bridges are needed in their areas.

"Our target is to construct one bridge (on an average) in two days. We are also aiming to construct 35 km of road everyday in the state. The previous government only knew about the date of laying the foundation of the project.

However, we have taken a sankalp (pledge) that we will also mention the date of inauguration of the particular project." He added, "The foundation stone of two bridges in Varanasi, which the Prime Minister dedicated to the nation in September were actually laid by former chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav."

The PWD minister also exuded confidence that in next six months all incomplete bridges will be completed. He said funds under the Central Road Fund and through the Asian Development Bank and NABARD will be used in routine and special repairing of roads.

PTI