Lok Sabha elections: Will do better than in 2019, says Digvijaya Singh

Digvijaya Singh tells about his last election and Congress' chances of winning in the state

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh tells Sanjeeb Mukherjee about his last election and Congress' chances of winning in the state.
 

You have said this is your last election. Why do you say so? Will you not come back to direct electoral politics?

Well, I’m now 77. At some point of time, one needs to hang up one’s boots. Let us see. At the moment this is my last election.

Your Indore candidate has withdrawn from the contest. What happened there?

Well, he was bullied and threatened by the BJP. False cases have been registered against him. He was under threat of being arrested. He comes from a reputed family. He runs a very well-recognised law institute, and a committed Congress family has succumbed to their pressure.

There is an allegation that the Congress has started giving more prominence to outsiders. People like Kanhaiya Kumar have been labelled outsiders.

What is the BJP doing? We are only giving them a place in the party. The BJP is giving outsiders chief ministership and deputy chief ministership and all those who have corruption charges against them.

Why has the voter turnout gone down? Some say it is due to the weather while others are blaming it on voter apathy.

It is difficult to point out one single reason. It differs from place to place. But, what surprises me more is that the Election Commission has revised the number of votes polled. This has cast aspersion on the whole process.

The Congress has been going downhill in Madhya Pradesh consistently. How do you think it will be revived in the state?

It will be through the youth. We have a number of youth leaders who are extremely talented. They just need some guidance and I will always be there to guide him.

How many seats in MP do you think the Congress will win this time around?

Well, we are in contest in most seats and will do better than in 2019.