‘Congress has taken full note of ground realities’

Congress boasted in the last elections that it’s the party which chooses its PM after elections. So what happened this time that you have elected Sonia Gandhi even before the elections as your future PM? Shailendra Kumar
Actually, Sonia Gandhi has been consistently our prime ministerial candidate right since 1998. She was projected as prime ministerial candidate even in 1999 Lok Sabha elections in spite of the fact that it was made an issue in the elections. This is not a new decision.

If you have so much respect for Supreme Court then why didn’t you respect the judgement pertaining to Reservation and the Shahbano case? Parimala
The Shahbano case was purely an internal question of the Muslim community. It did not entail a conflict with any other group in the country. The judgement of the Congress was that a majority of Muslim community felt that their personal laws should be respected, which were in fact guaranteed in the Constitution as well.

As for reservations, its again a legal and philosophical issue. Law-making is the exclusive function of Parliament. We respect Supreme Court judgements when it comes to determination of facts. The same doesn’t apply in regard to enunciation of philosophy.

Could you share with us the rationale of your decision to return to the Congress? Has your rationale been confirmed by subsequent developments? Gauzbig Sontell
I am happy to say that my rationale at the time of joining Congress that there was no further space for the third force in the Indian polity and the choice narrowed down completely between Congress and BJP has been abundantly proved. With each passing day I am reinforced in my original perception that Congress is the only viable national party which can defeat the communal designs of BJP.

What is your party’s plan for the disabled/handicapped people of India. We have more than one hundred million disabled in India. Can you do some ’chintan’ also for this 10% of India’s population? Siraj Mohammed Bijle
I am happy that questions like these are being raised. The physically handicapped, especially those who belong to poor families, should be treated on par with weaker sections like SCs and STs when it comes to ameliorative measures adopted by the government. The party recognises this.

Polls ahead, Congress for quota in private sector. Is this only to win elections? How far is it viable? Don’t you think private sector should have the right to decide it since it’s their money? Prashanth Nellore
Congress did not exactly talk of constitutional reservations. It only talked of a meaningful dialogue with the private sector. With a package of fiscal incentives to begin with, the model of affirmative action in America could be thought of. Now that the public sector is shrinking, nay vanishing, we all need to do some serious thinking about the educated unemployed, more particularly of those belonging to the weaker sections.

By announcing that you are game for coalitions, aren’t you admitting you cannot return to power at the Centre alone? Subodh Kale
Congress has taken full note of the ground realities, particularly in UP and Bihar. Congress can regain its primacy only through a pragmatic strategy.