Superstar of Bhojpuri cinema and now BJP's Delhi chief, Manoj Tiwari, is a happy man. His party has made a clean sweep in Delhi MCD elections, defeating Arvind Kejriwal and his AAM Aadmi Party by a staggering margin.
Tiwari says this was expected. "Arvind ne Dilli wallon ka dil tod diya. He has been a major disapppointent to the people of Delhi and I won't deny that the BJP benefited from the anti-Aam wave in the Capital. However, I'd say we got 80 per cent votes because people genuinely wanted the BJP in power in Delhi, to take them ahead; we got 20 per cent votes from people who just wanted Arvind Kejriwal out."
Kejriwal has already started speaking of ballot bungling and rigging.
But this doesn't surprise Tiwari. "Just like the Aam party's defeat, Arvind's refusal to accept defeat was also expected. Arvind ek ghaayal insaan hain. Aur woh logon ke samarthan ko nahin qubool karna chahte (Arvind is a wounded man who won't accept the public's mandate). He is a man living in denial. It is a very dangerous state of mind. Arvind will have to come to terms with what the junta is clearly telling him. By shutting out the noise of the people you can't shut out reality. The fact of the matter is the Aam party has finished off all work ethics in Delhi's government offices.We have to start rebuilding Delhi's confidence."
Manoj says restoration of civic services in Delhi will be the BJP's first priority. "Getting rid of the garbage and mosquitoes is top priority for us. We are going to spend the next three months making Delhi garbage-free and in fogging out the mosquitoes.A healthy environment means a healthy work culture. Until we get the city cleaned, we can't think of anything else."
Tiwari is not giving up on films, however. "I know it'll be tough for me to continue my film career now. But I will do at least one film every year , and with good reason. God has given me this hugely influential medium where people sit and listen to what I've to say and act according to my will.Why should I give up this powerful medium of communication? Cinema will help me to take my political work to the masses. Like Aamir Khan, I will be seen less frequently on screen. But whenever I am in a film I'll have a strong message to convey."
