To come back in 2014, we need to work in the field: Salman Khurshid

Interview with Union law minister

Union minister for law, Salman Khurshid, speaks to Kavita Chowdhury about his plans to give up his Cabinet portfolio and work for strengthening his party’s position ahead of the 2014 elections. Edited excerpts:

Have you written a letter to Sonia Gandhi offering to resign?
I have been periodically writing letters to the Congress president as well as the prime minister, either to give information or to get guidance. At times, I make submissions to Sonia Gandhi. And often offer to take up any task that the party wants me to. I believe the party has given us an honour by making us ministers, but in moments of trial and triumph, I think it is important to reiterate our commitment to work for the party. The party comes first.

What prompted you to write the letter?
This is just one among the many letters that I have written. This was written 20 days ago. Now is surely not our moment of triumph. It’s a moment of trial. How do we move forward from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election debacle and from here to 2014. There has been a lot of churning after the Assembly results. This was part of that churning. The media forgets that we have no standing in our constituencies now, just three years back we had won from there, we were not aliens there. So, we are determined to come back in 2014, and some of us will need to work in the field for that.

So, you are ready to give up your portfolio if the need arises?
I have worked in the past for the party for 14 years; I was not a minister then. I can work for the party again. I have no personal ambition. I first belong to the party and consider it to be paramount.