Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Maharashtra spokesperson and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) Maharashtra vice-president, Kunal Tilak, has expressed his intentions of contesting the upcoming Assembly polls from the Kasba Peth constituency in Pune, from where his mother, late Mukta Tilak, was elected as an MLA in 2019. In an exclusive interview with The Free Press Journal, Tilak spoke on a wide range of issues concerning Pune, including traffic congestion and the rising crime rates, and shared his vision for the city. He also stated that Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya are his idols, adding that he wishes to have a career trajectory like theirs.
Is your ticket confirmed by the BJP leadership?
My work speaks for itself—from what I have done over the past two years to what I am currently doing. The party has a report of my work. The leadership hasn’t informed me yet whether I will get the ticket, as it’s still early and the elections haven’t been declared. However, we have understood where we went wrong during the bypolls in 2022, where our party lost to Congress. We have been working very hard to connect with voters, understand the ground-level issues, and are determined to bring the party back to power in this constituency.
What do you think were the reasons for the bypoll defeat?
Personally, I feel that as a party, we were not able to understand the emotions of the people at that time; we failed to connect with them and interact with them properly. We have since rectified those issues. Even in that defeat, we garnered around 65,000 votes, which I believe is significant, especially considering that a large portion of our core voter base chose to press NOTA. During the recent Lok Sabha polls, we were ahead by 17,500 votes after being behind by 11,000 in the bypolls. So, as you can see, in the last 1.5 years, we have addressed those issues; people are starting to trust us again and understand why the BJP is needed in this constituency. As an organisation, we are doing our best to reach out to voters, understand their problems, and help them as much as possible.
Was turning to politics a natural decision for you?
With my mother being very active in the political sphere, I was accustomed to people coming to our home regularly. I’ve always kept a close watch on everything happening in the city. I used to work actively during election campaigns, and as my mother’s health started deteriorating, I naturally stepped into a full-fledged political role. Taking over the mantle of the constituency felt like a natural progression. People needed someone to lead, and that’s how I entered politics. After a while, I realised I was good at it, so I thought, why not continue, right? I intend to bring a youth-centric perspective into politics, focussing on developmental aspects that have been neglected in the past.
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A few poll surveys show the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) forming the government. How do you look at it?
Solely relying on surveys conducted a month ago isn’t a good indicator of the upcoming polls or the sentiments of the people of Maharashtra. If you conduct a survey right now, I’m confident the results will be different. The Mahayuti will be way ahead, especially because the ‘Ladki Bahin Yojana’ is going to be a game-changer. Women have already received the first two instalments and will receive the third one in a few days. Additionally, the seamless registration process for the scheme and the efficient transfer of funds will shift the momentum towards Mahayuti. Besides that, many infrastructure projects have been announced recently. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the two Deputy CMs, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, are all working very hard to understand the pulse of the people. I believe that whichever alliance understands the people’s emotions and needs will have the upper hand.
BJP workers in Vadgaon Sheri and Maval have publicly stated that they won’t campaign for the NCP. This raises the question: Are there any fissures within the Mahayuti?
See, these issues were there before the Lok Sabha elections as well. Despite this, Mahayuti workers campaigned tirelessly for the chosen candidate, irrespective of his/her party. Yes, there were some problems with coordination and communication between the parties, but I am pretty sure the top leaders would have already taken care of it and bridged the differences and discrepancies. However, on the ground level, I will assure you that the Mahayuti cadre will actively participate in the Assembly elections, irrespective of whoever gets the ticket. We have already started having joint meetings.
From traffic congestion to flooding, Punekars are facing several issues. Once you are elected as an MLA, what actions will you take to resolve these issues?
I have been working on a blueprint for the Kasba Peth constituency which includes traffic issues, heritage issues, redevelopment issues, and garbage issues. In the Peth areas, there are a lot of old wadas and houses that don’t have their dedicated parking spaces. Once there is redevelopment and buildings are built in their place, there will be parking spaces available, and the roads will become free, and vehicles can easily transit. I feel the faster that public representatives understand urban planning, town planning, and how the transit-oriented aspect of it works, the better chance Punekars will have for development in the coming future. If I am lucky enough, I will get a chance to present my blueprint in the Assembly (laughs). Besides, there is the riverfront development issue, which has taken a lot of flak from environmentalists. I believe we must sit with them and understand what they want exactly and reach a common ground.
You are just making your foray into politics. Do you have any politicians you idolise and aspire to emulate in your career?
I’m a big fan of Devendra Fadnavis. I admire his work ethic, oratory skills, and everything he does. Apart from him, I also learn a lot from our BJYM national president, Tejasvi Surya. He’s a good friend of mine, a great leader, and a two-time MP at such a young age. He inspires many youths in India, and I learn a lot from the way he conducts his day-to-day activities.
