Nation disillusioned with Modi, Opposition will surely win: Ashok Gehlot

Opposition parties believe that efforts can be made to integrate the country through an alliance

A confident Ashok Gehlot, Congress General Secretary, tells Shikha Shalini the country is disillusioned with Narendra Modi and the Opposition will come together to leverage this

The Opposition unity initiative taken by the Congress after the Karnataka elections — what happened to it? It seems to be weakening somewhat now...

This coalition is the need of the country. Given the current backdrop, it is imperative that Opposition parties come together. As far as the alliance is concerned, it may be a pre-poll alliance or an alliance later, at the national and state level.

In Madhya Pradesh, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has indicated  it will run solo. In Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party (SP) is not interested in an alliance with the Congress. Your allies in Bihar are dominating ...

Alliances will be based on the likelihood of winning the seat and how seat sharing emerges after negotiations. All of this will depend on the future course like the prospects of victory, the background of the previous elections etc.

How strong will the 2019 alliance be? People would like to know who the face will be to lead it.

It is too early to comment on this. But I would definitely say that the Modi ji came to office with a huge mandate — but after 30 years. But the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made false promises of public schemes that did not emerge on the ground and confused the people. The popularity of Modi ji and his party is diminishing. There is an ambience of distrust, hate and violence all over the country. Today the reins of power in the country are centralised in the hand of Modi ji and Amit Shah. Neither the BJP, nor the people of the country, approve of this. Differences between Hindus and Muslims are not in the interest of the country. Opposition parties believe that efforts can be made to integrate the country through this alliance.

But don’t efforts at an alliance imply the Congress’ weakness?

This is not true. In India, the Congress alone is a party of constructive opinion. But the coalition era started after 1996, owing to extant circumstances. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) 1 and UPA 2 were also coalitions. Then the BJP spread false impressions of corruption and promised to bring back black money and employment to 20 million people. There was an atmosphere in the country that whatever Modi says is true. But that this was a misunderstanding, is obvious now. Now the Congress is geared up again. The last instance was Gujarat where Rahul Gandhi carried out a constructive campaign.

Don’t  you think that if Congress had forged an alliance with BSP and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) you might not have lost half a dozen constituencies ?

We could not decide it midway through the elections. Diamond and textile hubs like Surat, where the BJP frightened people in the name of income tax and GST, were our weakness. Modi ji said that Manmohan Singh and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister were manoeuvring against BJP to project Ahmed Patel as CM of Gujarat. Modi won the election  playing an emotional card. But this should not be considered his victory or the defeat of the Congress. 

Will people see weight in Rahul as the face of an Opposition alliance against Narendra Modi as a candidate for the PM’s post ?

The chief of a national party naturally becomes a candidate for the post of PM. The situation has changed after the Gujarat elections. One day critics of Rahul ji would have to think what should be done in the interest of the country. Surely, one who thinks about the common man, the village and the poor should emerge as leader?

But having said that, talking about the Prime Ministerial candidate at this point is not practical. We have to convince Opposition parties that we want to win everyone’s togetherness.

Four Chief Ministers of the Opposition alliance stand in support of Arvind Kejriwal while the Congress continues to challenge and confront him. Don’t you think this undermines the very foundation of Opposition unity? And what is the basis of Opposition  unity, any way?

These four CMs do not have to deal with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in their respective states. The local Congress of Delhi will never want to stand with those whom we fight in elections. The Congress believes that if there is a democratically elected government, there should not be a situation where the Chief Minister has to resort to dharna and the Centre just ignores him. We think this is wrong.

As far as the basis of unity is concerned,  principles, policy and programme will be a very foundation of this unity. Whoever agrees to a common programme and has no contradiction with others in the alliance will be part of it. On this basis, the Opposition parties will likely come together in the interest of the country.

Will the Congress and Left parties be satisfied with the seats Mamata Banerjee offers? By projecting a one time MP like Gaurav Gogoi to conduct negotiations in Bengal, don’t you think the Congress itself is sending  a message that it is not serious about a fight in Bengal?

Sonia Gandhi herself is in touch with Mamata Banerjee. As for Gogoi, Rahul ji believes in bringing in a new generation in politics. It is a matter of giving opportunity to young people. We are serious about the electoral fight in Bengal.

What are the odds in favour of Opposition parties?

The Opposition to Modi will definitely succeed because every group of people in this country is in distress. People are angry and the result  will be revealed in the upcoming elections. The Opposition’s duty is to criticise — but they are being labelled anti-national. If you speak in favour of the government, you are a nationalist.

Rahul Gandhi has placed great trust in you. Will you be able to achieve success in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh? 

I think we will perform better in the whole country under the leadership of Rahul ji. We will see success in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, too. The circumstances favour us.

In view of other contenders in the Congress in Rajasthan, how united is the party in the state? How will Congress  adjust Sachin Pilot, CP Joshi and of course, you?

There is a lot of hullaballoo about this but the reality is that it is not so. It is getting much publicity, while situation is not so. There are internal differences in any major party — and in Rajasthan, it is less than in other states. BJP is using media for this kind of propaganda. Everyone wants a Congress government in Rajasthan.

Rahul ji has also said things will be decided after the elections. As far as I am concerned, I had asked for an assembly seat once in 1977, after which I did not ask for anything. The party has made me cabinet minister thrice. I have been chief minister of Rajasthan twice for a total of 10 years. The party will decide the future course. For me, the party’s future is more important than the post I hold.

Don’t you think  the Bhamashah Yojana and the debt waiver scheme in Rajasthan may give the BJP the lead?

The state government has ruined plans for metro, dam projects, and the coach factory in the state. Modi inaugurated the same refinery in Barmer for which Sonia ji laid the foundation stone in 2013. Despite getting a big majority, Vasundhara ji has disappointed the people of Rajasthan.

But in the last election in Rajasthan you got only 21 seats…

At that time, the mood of the nation was against Congress, across the country. BJP-Sangh supported movements led by Anna Hazare, Baba Ramdev and Kejriwal had an impact. The propaganda was that everyone in the government was corrupt. But I must tell you that the government under the leadership of Dr  Manmohan Singh was the best government India could have had. Revolutionary schemes were launched like MNREGA, RTI, food security law.