archive: 'Mrs Gandhi feels these people want to use her' (Interview with
'Mrs Gandhi feels these people want to use her' (Interview with
Riru Sarin
The Indian Express
May 23, 1999
Title: 'Mrs Gandhi feels these people want to use her' (Interview with
Pranab Mukherjee)
Author: Riru Sarin
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: May 23, 1999
Pranab Mukherjee, the senior-most general secretary in the Congress,
was frank about the importance of Sonia Gandhi for the Congress. "If
I go, 10 people do not come, if she goes, thousand come," he
observed. Riru Sarin interviews him:
Q: Did you have any inkling of the rebellion before May 15?
A: To be very frank, we did not expect it. Even on May 15, when this
issue (of foreign nationality) was discussed in the CWC for four
hours, we thought it had been settled. And when Pawar argued, I told
him 'Mr Pawar, this is a funny argument. She is supposed to bring
votes for us and we will present her face to draw crowds. But when
the question of prime ministerial candidate comes, we will say no.'
After this, I thought it was over.
Q: You are among the leaders meeting Sonia Gandhi most frequently.
What is her mood?
A: Naturally, she is hurt. These are the very people who brought her
into the party just one year ago. She was reluctant, they dragged her
in, and now they themselves are raising this issue. When she was
attacked, they did not defend her. Only a few people did so.
Q: That means Sonia was feeling isolated on the nationality issue even
before Pawar and company wrote to her.
A: These very people were in the party but did not do it. And not
only they, others also should have defended her, but their public
statements were not very clear and forthright. None of us, least of
all Mrs Gandhi, expected these three to write a letter.
Q: So why didn't Congress leaders confront the issue?
A: You know, Congressmen are a bit slow in their response. And we did
not think it will end up this way. We thought the message had gone
home to Congressmen because everybody had taken a concerted view.
Q: Did you expect her to resign and precipitate another crisis?
A: No, never. She just took the decision herself as soon as she got
the letter.
Q: Do you think she will relent?
A: I do not want to make a value judgement, but it will be difficult.
It will be difficult ... whether she will agree to reconsider.
Q: She has told many people that she joined the party to save it from
disintegration. Isn't she doing the same thing after putting in a
year of hard work?
A: Naturally, that is wiry she feels hurt. That these people did not
appreciate her efforts. Her feeling is that these people want to use
her. Naturally, any self-respecting person would not like to be used.
Q: Among the three, Mr Sangma's joining the ranks of the rebels was
the most surprising.
He was living in some sort of make-believe world that he will be the
party's prime ministerial candidate. Otherwise, why would a normal,
rational being do it? Perhaps it went to his head - the Press
publicity inflated his ego.
Q: And Tariq Anwar? Was he still nursing a hangover from the Kesri
days?
A: I don't know. Maybe he feels he had been general secretary, he is
no longer one.
Q: Sharad Pawar gave a statement yesterday saying that nobody in the
whole country wants a foreigner to he PM. What's your reaction?
A: (Angrily) I want to ask Mr Sharad Pawar a few questions. How is it
that three or four times you have broken the party, changed your party
and every time you have said it was the biggest mistake of your life?
You Sharad Pawar were there in the 1996 election and you brought only
15 seats out of 48. In 1998, when Mrs Sonia Gandhi campaigned, that
15 be-came 33. But you still see yourself as the strongman of
Maharashtra. Strongman! This is where the media plays a role.
Sangma has been built up and his head has become swollen. And now
Sharad Pawar says nobody wants a foreigner as PM. Whether anybody
wants it or not will be tested in September. Let us wait for the
verdict.
Q: So, electorally, will this damage the party?
A: It will not be much - even in Maharashtra. And what matters now is
the perception of the Indian voter - even on the question of Mrs
Gandhi's Indianness. Whether she is an Indian bahu, whether she is an
Indian widow, and all that, apart from the influence of the family.
What is the reason she gets the crowds? There must be some rationale
for it, the people at rallies are not bonded labour. If I go, 10
people do not come, if she goes, thousands come. How? I have been in
Congress for many more years than she has. This is the hard ground
reality. But whether it will lead to the winning post at the
hustings, I cannot say.
Q: There is a political mela going on outside the Congress
headquarters. When is the tamasha going to stop?
Q: It is not a question of tamasha. People express their feelings in
a particular way. That is all. She has told PCC presidents, MLAs,
everybody - go back and do your work.
Q: But is the pressure working on Sonia Gandhi?
A: I don't know. That is the million dollar question.
Q: Has the issue of an alternative Congress president been discussed
as yet?
A: Our viewpoint is that it would be extremely difficult to us to have
anybody else. We will have to try and persuade her. We are calling
the AICC in a few days, when everything will be discussed.
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