‘EC created conditions for Cong’s win’

• Before the poll results, you were spitting fire against the Election Commission. Do you blame it for your party’s worst-ever defeat?
Madhu Agrawal

I must admit that the recent experience with the EC has been painful, as its style of functioning is bound to have a negative influence on democracy. Ironically, all its deeds have been in the name of holding free and fair elections. Look at the sequence of events, beginning with the election schedule. A one-day poll is held in the State in the first phase, and then it is made to wait 24 days for the results. Even eminent political commentators have questioned the wisdom of this schedule. There was no room for course correction on this subject, but the EC repeatedly found enough reason to modify the clauses of the model code of conduct, at the drop of the Congress’s hat, to stop constitutional and statutory bodies in the State from functioning. In the name of stopping advertisements, tender notices were stopped. Thus, funds, running into crores, have lapsed, the consequence of which will be felt in the coming years as the Plan allocation of the State will be reduced. By such deeds, the EC vitiated the atmosphere and created conditions which became conducive for Congress victory.

• Haryana’s women are said to have voted en bloc for the Congress, spurred by their low status in the State.
Shivani Sambyal

It is difficult for me to understand how you have concluded that women have voted en bloc for Congress. The Indian National Lok Dal has a fair share of their vote, though the swing away from it has to be attributed to a number of factors, including the culture of defeat that was promoted by Congress and its agents. Unfortunately, the voters became victims of this psychosis and the more important issues of development got waylaid. Regarding the status of women, it was the INLD Government which introduced the ‘‘Devirupak’’ scheme, so that apart from stabilising the gender ratio, the status of the girl child is enhanced. Education being the weapon which demolishes inequality, a number of schemes to promote it among girls, were introduced.

• Did your feudal style of functioning alienate the people?
Dhananjay Singh

Never in my entire political career have I ever taken a major policy decision without taking the rank and file into confidence. Even in the government, extensive discussions are held before any decision. If you take a close look at the structure of my party, you will notice that it represents all sections of the people and is extremely democratic in character. Feudal character is alien to my party and can be better associated with a party which has distributed the loaves among its leaders’ kith and kin.

• You have acquired the reputation of being at loggerheads with constitutional authorities. Did this cost you votes?
Renu Verma

If I have been critical of some of the constitutional authorities, it is not because I have any personal or political axe to grind. The greater good of the Republic and democracy has always been at the back of my mind. For example, I have always advocated abolishing the office of a nominated Governor. It has been our experience that the office is used for trampling the people’s mandate. The recent developments of Goa and Jharkhand have again proved that the Congress has no compunction in using their nominees as Governors to further sectional and party interests. This results in the erosion of democratic traditions and diminishing of republican values.

Similarly, I have been critical of the EC’s role, as it, after appropriating the role of others, has ended up only in bringing the administration to a standstill. During the last one year, almost six months were lost because of the arbitrary interpretation of the model code of conduct. If my criticism of these constitutional authorities has resulted in temporary losses to me, then so be it.

• Taking your defeat as the people’s vote against you — you lost one seat from which you contested — would it not be better to let someone more acceptable to the people take over as INLD leader?
V P Damodar

The INLD is a democratic party and no one leads it unless its workers want him or her to lead. As for my defeat, I must draw your attention to the EC’s role before and during the elections in Narwana. After threatening not to hold elections in that constituency, it arbitrarily transferred officials and appointed others to spread fear. Not content with that, it provided Z-category security to the Congress candidate, who used the commandos to terrorise the voters. At whose behest this operation was conducted is the question that people like you should be asking. I am convinced the Congress is anti-farmer, anti-poor and anti-democracy.

• You initiated reforms despite opposition. Do you now think your step was ahead of the time? Any regrets?
Deepak Shukla

It was only after forming a considered opinion that a policy affecting the public good was introduced. There is no question of having any regrets as I believe that a politician must have the courage of his convictions.

• Your government put Haryana on the fast track to development, Gurgaon being an example. Why do you think people voted against you then?
Anand Prasad

It has been my cherished dream to see a Haryana which is prosperous and vibrant and on par with the best of the world. Towards that end I worked ceaselessly when the people gave me the mandate to transform Haryana. Gurgaon, as you have said, is part realisation of that dream. My party is in the process of identifying the reasons for this defeat and the soul-searching exercise is already on. At this moment, I can assure you that I will draw lessons from the past so that the future of Haryana is even more bright.