Jairam Ramesh interview: ‘If push comes to shove, we can work with any party, provided it severs ties with BJP’

It was not a push exodus, but a pull exodus. The BJP brought into play full force of money power, and a lot of our colleagues, including the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president (Konthoujam Govindas) left us. They were pulled by superior money power.

Why could the Congress not hold them back?

The problem is not so much with the Congress, the problem is with the people who are leaving. For example, in Meghalaya, Mukul Sangma (who jumped ship to the Trinamool Congress in November, which is now the principal opposition party in Meghalaya) met both Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. What did Sushmita Dev (also in the Trinamool) not get in the Assam Congress? She had everything. In all these cases, we made sincere efforts… but their minds were made up. In Manipur, I have heard that many people joined the BJP because they were promised their debts would be settled. The Congress cannot do that… we are not in power. The exodus has more to do with personal ambitions and priorities, rather than the Congress party.

How will it affect the Congress?

We have lost people. How can we deny the evidence? While well-known faces have left, the Congress has retained a large cadre and its support base. But yes, it has been damaging for us… we have been weakened. We don’t have a government in the Northeast, a situation which is dramatically different from, say, 2017.

How is the Congress placed in this election?

Under the best of circumstances, elections in Manipur are very challenging, because of the financial aspect, law and order aspect… However, this election is even more challenging because normally it would be a BJP versus Congress contest, but now we have the regional parties like the NPP (National People’s Party), JD(U)… all contesting a number of seats, making a determined effort.

Have you reached out to these parties?

All depends on 10th March (results). We are hoping we will get a majority on our own. But if push comes to shove, we are prepared to work with any political party, provided they sever ties with the BJP. (The NPP is an alliance partner of the BJP-led NDA at the Centre, also a partner in the current coalition government in Manipur, but contesting on its own this time.)

Many say pre-2017, 15 years of the Okram Ibobi Singh government were turbulent…

Two people transformed the Northeast. One was Tarun Gogoi in Assam and the second, Ibobi Singh in Manipur. Both came at a time when insurgency was at its peak in their respective states, both had 15-year tenures, and both managed to put their states back on track. Things were very tense in Manipur, and it took him four-five years to settle it. Ibobi was very tough on law and order… he stood firm on Manipur, on the Naga issue, on territorial integrity of Manipur. These were non-negotiable. He had a good record.

But the BJP is claiming they are the ones who have brought stability, peace and normalcy to Manipur…

The BJP is an expert in four Rs: recycling, repackaging, rebranding and renaming. Whatever they are taking credit for now, the work started in our time. Like the rail link between Jiribam-Imphal, 70% of the work was done by 2017. But they are certainly far more aggressive marketers… One telling statistic gives the real picture of Manipur: as of yesterday, only 48% have had a double dose of vaccine.

The Congress is often accused of ignoring the hill districts… What are your prospects this time?

We have a number of strong candidates in the hills, and we will do well if a free and fair election takes place, and if there is no intimidation. The BJP talks about ‘going to the hills’, but the truth is that Autonomous District Council (ADC) elections have not been held in the last three-five years. If you really want to go to the hills, then hold elections to the ADCs.