"Cong will have to allow regional leadership to take part in national affairs"

How can you say, so soon, that the BJP-led Government has failed to live up to expectations?

The party which adopted the slogan of stability, honesty and transparency failed on all three counts. Its instability, for instance, is not merely due to the alliance partners but mainly because of its hidden agenda that guides the party from Nagpur. In other words, the BJP’s hidden agenda is being more speedily implemented than its national agenda for the country’s governance.

How?

The recent appointments of Governors is a case in point. The imposition of (RSS’) agenda is evident, considering the way in which staunch RSS and party leaders were appointed as Governors in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar andRajasthan…The internal instability dogging the party is visible in case of Uttar Pradesh whose Chief Minister had to be summoned to New Delhi. This merely shows that despite his having about 95 cabinet ministers, the Chief Minister is yet to attain stability. The overall situation in the party is similar.

What is the Congress’ stand on the spate of resignations, and demands for more resignations, following charge-sheeting of several politicians belonging to the BJP and its allies? Do you feel an unnecessary distinction is being made between a case of corruption and a criminal offence?

Yes, it’s true that a compromise is being made with those charged in a criminal case. Take the Ayodhya case and the charge-sheet framed against Home Minister L.K. Advani. The demolition of the mosque led to riots and several killings. Obviously it’s a criminal offence and he ought to resign. We will take up the matter in the next session of Parliament.

What do you think about the BJP’s alliance with theregional parties? How long will it last?

The BJP is riding roughshod over the sentiments of its allied partners. Its ultimate objective is to get rid of its clutches. The process is already on. In West Bengal, the BJP wants more than its share. How’s Mamata Banerjee to blame for feeling the pinch? Ramakrishna Hegde will feel the same thing soon…As for how long the the Government would remain, it’s difficult to speculate. At times there can be a sudden collapse, or it will limp along for some time, in spite of its clutches.

The Congress is the only major party which has not formed a coalition Government at the Centre. How does the party see the phenomenon?

It’s a new phase we are going through, but a transitional phase. Despite the current polarisation process, only three or four parties will eventually emerge at the national level. But then, national parties are to blame for the situation. They did not give enough leeway to local leaders to emerge on their own.

For many, many years theCongress was representative of the regional interests. We had powerful leaders who participated in national decision making. There were several of them, Channa Reddy, Brahmananda Reddy, K. Kamaraj and Atulya Ghosh, to name a few. The Congress will again have to re-establish the link, and allow the formation of regional leadership that can take part in the national affairs. In fact, the BJP too is moving towards strong central high-command, as is evident from its summoning of Kalyan Singh to New Delhi’.

But we do not believe in the politics of utha patak’ and jor tor’. However, if the BJP falls under its own weight and contradictions, the Congress will certainly examine the formation of Government. But only if we are sure of minimum level of stability and without compromising on our basic principles.

How about the Congress’ own plans of self-renewal as unveiled by Sonia Gandhi? The state elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi being round the corner, what are the preparationsmade, particularly in view of the party’s bad show in MP in the recent Parliamentary elections?

Sonia Gandhi has taken her responsibility in right earnest. After Bihar, she is due to visit Maharashtra and Rajasthan soon. As for the Madhya Pradesh situation, Rajesh Pilot’s report on the state is awaited. We will take the next step only after the report is submitted to the party president.