Nana Patole interview: ‘Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar, Ashok Chavan will be ‘political Agniveers’ after polls’

Q: How do you see the Congress’s performance in the first two phases?

Nana Patole: I have been everywhere in this election till now. The people have taken this election in their hands. There is anger against the BJP and Narendra Modi. The yatras undertaken by our leader Rahul Gandhi have brought forward the real feelings of the people of this country. Our guarantee has reached people and they trust Rahul Gandhi. Out of the 13 seats, the Congress will win all the seats it has contested.

Q: What according to you is going against the BJP?

Nana Patole: The youth in particular are unhappy with this government. The Hindu- Muslim card that Narendra Modi is trying to play is not appreciated by people, the youth in particular. People are appreciating our position of not following Hindu-Muslim cards but asking questions about the last 10 years. You must have observed that the Congress and Rahul Gandhi are setting the agenda while the BJP and Narendra Modi are merely replying to us. Inflation has become a big issue. Farmers are not accepting the lies of the BJP.

Q: Which issues concern Maharashtra in particular?

Nana Patole: Apart from the national issues, Maharashtra has witnessed one of the worst examples of the BJP’s divide-and-rule policy. Bribing MLAs with boxes of money, accusing someone of being corrupt and then making him join the BJP, and using central agencies to destroy the culture of Maharashtra, which takes pride in the legacy of Shahu, Phule and Ambedkar, are not appreciated by the people of Maharashtra. I have personally done 96 rallies in the state.

Q: Is the Congress going to increase the percentage of reservation, with an eye on Maratha, Dhangar and other communities?

Nana Patole: Rahul Gandhi’s announcement of conducting a caste census and lifting the 50 per cent reservation cap after coming to power will be a game-changer. It will ensure reservation not only to Marathas, but even OBC castes will get additional reservation. When I was the Assembly speaker, I had moved the resolution for a caste census and ensured that it got passed. While we want to give representation to 90 per cent of the population, not a single leader from the BJP is speaking about this. Because they are anti-reservation. And that is the reason why the BJP is opposing a caste census. They do not want to give representation in proportion to the population. The Congress is working for justice to all.

Q: Will the BJP approach your ally Uddhav Thackeray once again, as PM Modi recently said that he has no personal enmity against him?

Nana Patole: PM Modi is natsamrat (king of acting). The BJP is scared. It knows that they are losing the election. Hence this drama. He has realised where Maharashtra is tilting. He is trying to create confusion around Uddhav-ji to stop votes going to him. But Uddhav-ji has already spoken on this and I need not speak about it.

Q: Does that mean the BJP’s alliance with Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar has failed?

Nana Patole: This central government brought in the Agniveer scheme of military recruitment, which does not offer pensions after service. Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar and Ashok Chavan are Maharashtra’s ”political Agniveers’. They will be left without any support after this election.

Q: Why is it that Prakash Ambedkar continues to attack the Congress?

Nana Patole: He is the plan B of the BJP and he keeps on giving certificates to others. I would have replied had he been a principled man. But he is not. It is better not to respond to him.