Minister of Finance Nicola Willis and Minister of Housing Chris Bishop with Ankit Bansal. The senior National MPs were in Palmerston North this month for the party's lower North Island Christmas lunch.
Minister of Finance Nicola Willis and Minister of Housing Chris Bishop with Ankit Bansal. The senior National MPs were in Palmerston North this month for the party's lower North Island Christmas lunch.
Ankit Bansal, the National Party’s candidate for Palmerston North in October’s general election, has not put away his blue suit.
He is continuing to attend events, everything from the Manawatū Tenants’ Union AGM and a book launch to the Manawatū Business Chamber’s Christmas BA5.
Bansal says people continue to seek his assistance and as he has connections with National ministers it is his duty to relay the community’s issues and concerns.
“I’m just playing my part, helping the community. Whether I’m an MP or not doesn’t really matter, if I have the connections I utilise [them] and help the community.”
Bansal says the work is unpaid, as was his campaigning. He is motivated by his love for the community. “If I can help the community I’ll do it.”
Bansal owns Brownings Computers in Dannevirke and is also job hunting after resigning from his procurement job at Massey University in March to campaign full-time.
One week after the election Bansal was back at the Albert Street Market to thank people for their support.
Bansal received 12,252 votes to Labour candidate and sitting MP Tangi Utikere’s 15,339.
He was grateful for the support he received. “It’s definitely much more than we expected.”
He is planning regular attendance at the market to hear from the community about what is working for them and what is not. “If there are any changes needed adapt the policy to suit community needs.”
The 34-year-old wouldn’t be drawn on whether he would seek the National nomination again. “What happens in the future we will see. At the moment I think it’s more important, we have a National-led Government and whatever things we campaigned on we deliver on those things and I’m very confident that our Government ... we will deliver on those things.”
During the campaign, he enjoyed meeting people from all walks of life. Bansal says that’s why he was out every day, whether there was something on or not, during the campaign.
It was challenging not having the machinery that comes with a party having a sitting MP in the electorate but the support he received from all walks of life helped alleviate this.
He thanked National Party members, delegates and branch committee members for the way they accepted his candidacy.
They took a chance on someone not born in New Zealand (Bansal was born and educated in India) and who didn’t have a political background, but they saw his passion and supported him.
“They embraced me as me. Nobody asked me to change my style or anything.”
Ankit Bansal says the National Party embraced him as he is.
English is his second language (Punjabi is his first) and he recognised sometimes he might not have the exact words. He also speaks Hindi.
Not being born in Palmerston North didn’t mean he was less passionate than anyone else about the city. It is his home. In January, he will have lived in Palmerston North for six years.
“We breathe and live in the same community. As long as we are passionate about the city, the community and the country, that’s all that matters.”
National’s approach is to invest in people so they can support themselves rather than spend on them, Bansal says.
“We don’t just throw money at something and think ‘oh the problem will go away’. You are just only kicking the can down the road. We can invest, we can empower people.”
Someone who can work should be working and contributing to society so those who need help have resources freed up for them.
Business owners are not evil, they provide opportunities for others, he says.
“It’s not a game, one group against another ... We can only grow together as a country, as a community, when we collaborate and work together.”
