A hardcore RSS member and politician Anant Kumar Hegde is the Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s team. He is a five-time Member of Parliament from Uttara Kannada Lok Sabha constituency, having entered the Parliament at the age of 28.

Born on 20 May, 1968 at Sirsi in Uttara Kannada to a Brahmin family, Hegde is intermediate educated, and has interest towards Taekwondo (Korean Martial Arts). He is also the Founder-President of Kadamba, a national-level NGO working in the field of rural development, rural health, formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs), rural marketing among others.

Hegde was in Mysuru this morning to attend a programme ‘Skill on Wheels’ organised by Skill India, Apna Desh and National Skill Development Corporation. Star of Mysore caught up with the Minister for this brief interview. Excerpts…

By S.B. Devaraju

SOM: What are the prospects of BJP in the forthcoming Karnataka Assembly elections?

Anant Kumar Hegde: We have been touring the State in the ‘Parivartana Yatra’ and the response is tremendous. Congress has lost its ground, morality, public opinion and it will be decimated. It has lost all moral values and the party is scared of facing the elections as there have been many scams exposing prominent Ministers. BJP will win 100 percent.

SOM: There is a general feeling that Parivartana Yatra has created confusion rather than mobilising support.

Hegde: It depends on how you see it as in politics it is not a level playing field always. Minor hiccups will be there in all political parties be it BJP or Congress. We will set right all the differences and will win the next elections.

SOM: Do you have confidence in Mission 150?

Hegde: Yes, 100 percent. BJP will come to power and one need not have any confusion about it.

SOM: Chief Minister Siddharamaiah has repeatedly said that Congress will come back to power and he will be the next CM.

Hegde: Let him win in Mysuru (Chamundeshwari), his home constituency first.

SOM: Have you assessed BJP’s prospects in Mysuru region?

 Hegde: Not yet. Will do so in the coming days.

SOM: Why is Anant Kumar Hegde upset with Siddharamaiah all of a sudden?

Hegde: Till now we were restricted to our respective constituencies. Now, we are touring the State and as a result, Congress is exposing itself. We have only stated facts and people are realising that Siddharamaiah’s claims of good governance is just bunkum.

SOM: There is a rumour that if BJP comes to power, you will be made the CM as the party needs a firebrand leader.

Hegde: I am not in an illusory world and there is no confusion regarding that. B.S. Yeddyurappa will be the next CM. There is no doubt about it.

SOM: Your stand on Lingayat and Veerashaiva controversy.

Hegde: I cannot comment on this as it is left to the community. Leaders of those communities must decide and we will not speak on that.

SOM: Will your stand affect the BJP?

Hegde: Definitely not. Party is different and the issue is different.

SOM: Will BJP have alliance with any political party in 2018 elections?

Hegde: Just wait and see. In politics, we cannot rule out any possibilities. You can see on the screens in the next elections.

SOM: JD(S) leader and former PM H.D. Deve Gowda has expressed his dissatisfaction on national parties and has time and again stressed on regional parties for regional development. 

Hegde: It is his opinion and I will not comment on that.

SOM: Will BJP have an arrangement or alliance with JD(S)?

Hegde: I don’t know. It is too early to say and as I said earlier, one cannot predict what will happen in a changed political scenario. It is too difficult to say now.

SOM: Do you feel that H.D. Deve Gowda is trying to woo Lingayats by organising events like J.H. Patel Smarane?

Hegde: I cannot comment on Deve Gowda’s political strategies and moreover, he is a senior leader. Personally, I have a lot of respect for him though there are issue-based differences.

SOM: Has Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s influence eroded?

Hegde: Rather it has increased. It is a propaganda initiated by rival political parties and they are supported by half-baked and directionless journalists.

SOM: Your comments about the impending Gujarat elections. Will the BJP win? And will the local body elections in Uttar Pradesh that was won by BJP influence the next polls?

Hegde: BJP will sweep Gujarat polls and we will win Himachal Pradesh (result pending). Yes. The UP local body results will influence the elections and you will see the winning spree.