On his political career…
I set up the BJP in my locality in 2013. I have been with the BJP for 15-16 years. I am a civil contractor. I have undertaken projects in Gujarat and Maharashtra. I contested the Assembly election in 2016 but lost to Trinamul. I won the Bongaon South seat in 2021. I was the chief election agent in the last three Parliamentary elections — 2014, 2015 by-elections and 2019. My party knows I can wrest this seat from Kakoli Devi. I will stop syndicate raj in Bidhannagar and New Town.
Reaction to Prime Minister Modi’s rally
The day before, on Monday, the weather was so bad. Yet from the morning, people came in large numbers in support of Narendra Modi and to protest against the state leadership. Barasat will see a change in representative this year.
On the issues he is bringing up…
Corruption — theft of jobs, cattle, sand, money… Crumbling of the education system.
On him claiming to pass higher secondary examination (according to his 2024 affidavit) within two and half years of passing Class VIII (according to his 2021 affidavit)…
They (ruling party members) have learnt how to steal but they can’t make sense of this. Let them go to court or to the Election Commission. They were present at the scrutiny. Why did they not protest then? I appeared for Madhyamik in 2021 but the result appeared after I submitted the nomination. I had written “appeared for Madhyamik” in the nomination papers in 2016 which was allowed but the EC did not accept it in 2021.
On why he wrote “passed Class VIII” and not “passed Class IX” in that case…
Let it be. It is a minor matter. I am an MLA. Such slander will not work. Kakoli Devi will lose by a lakh votes.
On his affidavit mentioning conviction under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act for being in possession of two packets of suspected morphine in Assam in 2018…
I have written (in the affidavit) what has happened. And I was later acquitted. It was a fake case. I was convicted in a lower court (and sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and Rs 1 lakh fine) but the (Gauhati) high court acquitted me. I was framed in a railway compartment. There must have been people who got jobs during Mamata Banerjee’s tenure as rail minister who did the dirty on me by placing (banned) substance under my seat. If the Trinamul guys refer to this matter in my locality they will be lynched, I am that popular there.
How long did you spend in prison?
It does not matter. Sri Krishna was born in a prison. Who am I in comparison?
On his love for cars and bikes (owns Royal Enfield, Kia Carnival, Scorpio S11, Thar 4x4)…
I work and indulge my hobbies. If there is a competition among 100 drivers, I will come no. 1. My favourite is my Kia Carnival. It is very comfortable but gives lousy mileage — 6km/litre. Cars with good facilities do not yield good mileage. I had all this before becoming MLA — my house, my cars, my business. The Trinamul thieves are trying to defame me but without success.