Satya Pal Jain (BJP)

Q:What is your vision for the city?

I am committed to the proper development of city to make it a “really beautiful” city of international standards through public participation in decision-making.

Q:On what basis do you seek people’s mandate?

People has seen Bansal’s “dimsal” performance since 1991 for almost 15 years. While Bansal has failed to bring any major project to the city except development works under the MPLAD scheme several development projects, including Chandigarh-Ludhiana railway link and flyover at the transport chowk, were initiated during my two-and-a-half years tenure. Various pro-people policies and intiatives were the hallmarks of the NDA regime both at the centeral and the local level.

Q:Your comments on your political rivals?

As a politician Bansal has been a utter failure.While Dhawan had been instrumental in bringing certain projects to the city the sitting MP has been consistent in doling out false promises and putting the blame on others for his failures for all these years.

Q:Your alliance partner–SAD– wants Chandigarh to be tranferred to Punjab.Your comments?

The BJP is for retaining Chandigarh as the union territory. In fact, the debate on the status of Chandigarh seems to be meaningless with various stakeholders reconciling themselves to the de facto status of the city.

Q:On the controversial mega projects the BJP’s position has been ambivalent.Why so?

Till today even the Congress-led UPA government has failed to spell out its stand on the controversial mega projects. The BJP is of the considered view that the mega projects should be decided on the individual merit of each project. In fact, with the administrator, adviser, who are the appointees of the central government, and local MP working at the cross purposes the development work has come to standstill