New Delhi, Aug. 1: Transparency and development were his mantras as Jamshedpur MP Ajoy Kumar took his maiden oath in Parliament today.
The former supercop-turned-politician underscored that every scheme in his constituency sponsored by local area development funds would happen through open tenders, leaving no scope for manipulation.
“People have suggested that there should be political patronage in MPLADS projects. I believe that is not needed or advisable. Even for the smallest amount I will advice the deputy commissioner to invite tenders,” he said.
The JVM MP added that he and party chief Babulal Marandi would also focus on the land acquisition bill.
The Telegraph had a tête-à-tête with Ajoy Kumar at his office in Max Neeman — the medical research firm of which he remains CEO — when he was busy arranging his election certificate, form 16 and other papers in separate folders.
“I will remain CEO here as the office-of-profit regulation only applies to government jobs,” he said, sporting a fresh MP ID around his neck. “Most of the work is online, so I can manage office three to four days a week. When Parliament is not in session, I can spend 10 days here and 10 days in Jamshedpur. Staying at a place is more effective in getting a job done,” he added.
The JVM will focus on the land acquisition bill during the monsoon session, he said. “Land acquisition has a major impact on Jharkhand because of mining. I will be deeply engaged in the matter as it concerns my people the most.”
Clarifying his stand on his alleged conversation with a Maoist, the MP said it was now clear that the CD was doctored. “Somebody named Samar had called me. Call me daft or naïve, but I didn’t know he was a Maoist. I am not as familiar with Naxalite factions of Jharkhand as I was with ML groups when I was ASP in Patna,” he explained.
“We only had a brief discussion on social issues like atrocities on villagers. Even the CD the BJP produced contains no discussions about political influence or polling booths. In the part where Samar said, ‘Sab gareeb aapke saath hai (the poor are with you)’ and I reply, ‘Jab gareeb mere saath hai toh koi mai ka laal chhu nahi sakta (no one can touch me if the poor are with me)’, the operative word ‘gareeb’ has been deleted to make it appear that Maoists were supporting me,” he clarified.
On how to tackle Naxalism, the MP said law and order problems were only symptoms while underdevelopment was the disease. “This is primarily a development issue. It is easier to campaign on bikes than cars in Ghorabandha and Potka as there are no roads. Water is knee-deep and there is no primary health centre. Access to roads and lift irrigation will curb Naxalism too a large extent. We also need to get them (Maoists) to the talks table.”
He, however, clarified that he had not thought of playing any larger role as an interlocutor with Maoists.
Ajoy Kumar stressed on the need of a single-window system and sops and sales tax benefits to attract industries, but also added that the state needed to look beyond traditional industries like mining and steel. “We need to attract the education sector. Our kids are smart and our schools are good. If we focus on knowledge-based industries, we can be Pune in 15 years.”
He vowed to push for IIT status for ISM-Dhanbad and seek an AIIMS-level institute in Jharkhand.
Admittedly overwhelmed on his first day as MP, he found company in Bihar counterparts like Shatrughan Sinha and Lalu Yadav and Hyderabad Public School mates Pallam Raju, Asaduddin Owaisi and Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.
