Nothing Wrong If Sonia Elected Cpp Leader: Manmohan

Congress leader Manmohan Singh has said the real BJP is controlled by the RSS which was the holding company and events suggested prime ministerial candidate Atal Behari Vajpayee is a mask hiding the rigid and hardcore BJP.

In an interview covering weaknesses of Congress party, BJPs poll strategy, leadership of Sonia Gandhi and other issues, he said the leadership of the BJP was with the RSS. BJP is a cadre-based party. Three-fourth of the BJP comes from RSS. How can they delink from that, he said.

Denying suggestions that he would be Congress partys candidate for the prime ministership, Singh said there was no dearth of talent or leaders in the Congress.

Asked if Sonia Gandhi should be elected leader of the Congress though she was not contesting the elections to the Lok Sabha, he said, if the CPP elects Sonia Gandhi I dont see anything wrong with that. P V Narasimha Rao was not a member of Parliament when he was elected leader of the CPP. There is nothing wrong with that. A leader is one who is accepted by people. Asked if he would support Sonia Gandhis election as leader of the CPP, Singh said it is a collective decision to be taken by the party. I will be happy. There is no doubt Sonia Gandhi is the star campaigner of the Congress party. Excerpts:

l Congress chances in polls: The Congress is capable of providing a stable, capable and purposeful government. The Congress party is going to people asking for a clear mandate on the basis of its experience and track record.

l Congress track record: the last Congress government from 1991-96 converted the collapsing economy into a dynamic one. When Congress took over, inflation was raging and foreign exchange reserves had dwindled. We dealt with the crisis admirably at the end of which economy was booming, industrial production was at the rate of 12 per cent per annum and exports were growing at 20 per cent. Production of intermediate products was also booming. When we left foreign exchange reserves were to the tune of funding six months import, inflation was contained at six per cent per annum, which are all indicators of a very substantial growth in the economy.

l Why Congress lost in 1996: There was a split in the Congress. The issue of corruption came up. Congress did not lose because of bad performance on the economic front. Orissa is a poor state but we got a thumping majority there.

l Why Congress now: People have seen what happens when Congress goes out of power. Growth rate of economy has slumped, exports was merely three per cent and balance of payments uncomfortable, tax revenues have collapsed and there is shortage of onions, oilseeds and other commodities. Prices have gone up. Coalitions will not work.

People have to return to Congress for a stable and good government.

l Main issues now: Stability is an issue. Economy is another issue and so is future of the country