"Congress’ strength in Lok Sabha will be reduced to a two-digit figure"

* There is a feeling that the performance of both the H.D. Deve Gowda and I.K. Gujral governments has been far from satisfactory. Do you think this will affect the UF’s poll prospects?

This is not true. Despite the constant threat from the Congress, the UF government took several good decisions. Centre-State relations improved, financial devolution to States has gone up, inflation was contained. Of course, some issues like Article 356 could not be pursued to their logical end because of the back-seat driving by the Congress. The biggest achievement was that there was no scandal during the UF rule.

* Are you confident that all the UF constituents will fight the elections together?

There will be no difficulty on this count. There are minor differences between the DMK and the TMC but these will be sorted out. Mulayam Singh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party has also made it clear that he would go along with the Front. In fact, there was no major threat to the UF government from the constituents during its tenure. This only goes to show that coalition governments will work and the UF is bound to emerge as the largest group after the elections.

* Given the instability of non-Congress governments since 1977, do you think the Congress slogan of stability will attract the voters?

In the first place, the Congress cannot claim that it can provide a stable government. It is the Congress which is responsible for the current instability. On both the occasions when the Congress withdrew support to the UF government, it was not on any issue or policy concerning the public. It was just out of ego or the ambition to come to power.

In fact, in many States, the Congress is non-existent. After the mid-term elections, the strength of the party will be reduced to two digits as the people are bound to punish it for the manner in which it destabilised two UF governments.

* Will the BJP gain from the manner in which the Congress and UF managed the country’s affairs during the last two years?

All the moral facade that the BJP has been claiming so far was totally exposed after the recent developments in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. The open admission by senior party leaders that they could not split the Congress has tarnished the image of BJP. It has become the laughing stock.

The BJP, too, cannot claim it is a single party. It is also a front in a way as the BJP has alliance with many smaller parties. The fight, of course, will be between the UF and the BJP front. The Congress will be here and there.

* Will not the Congress gain from the Jain Commission report on Rajiv Gandhi assassination?

The Congress was in power for five years after the Rajiv Gandhi assassination. What did it do then about the conspiracy or groups behind the assassination? The Congress only found an excuse in the Jain Commission report to withdraw support to the Gujral government. Saying that the entire Tamils had nexus with LTTE amounts to isolating a race and hurting sentiments, which is not good for national integrity. The Thakkar Commission named Congress leader R.K. Dhawan as the second accused. What have the Congressmen got to say about it?

* Do you think the Congress’ chances will improve if Sonia Gandhi enters politics?

No. The party’s chances will worsen further. I do not want to say more than this.

* How do you plan to counter the anti-establishment factor in Andhra Pradesh?

I would say that the situation is the other way round. It is the pro-establishment factor because of the several innovative programmes launched by my government, whether it be Janmabhoomi, Prajala Vaddaku Palana or the constitution of water users association entrusting maintenance of canals to farmers themselves.

The only problem, as I see, is on the energy front. Here too, I am confident of convincing the people about the need for reforms and why the government cannot afford to continue supply of cheap power when the cost of generation has gone up steeply. People’s perception about my government is by and large satisfactory.

* Your government is accused of going back on promises made during the last electionson Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme and prohibition?

At some point or the other, one has to take some bold decisions. The price of rice had to be hiked because the government could no longer afford the huge subsidy, which even at the current rate, is more than Rs 1,000 crore. The entire revenue from liquor following the relaxation of prohibition is being spent on developmental activities. Decisions are being taken only after consultations with various sections of the society.