Former RBI chief Raghuram Rajan to join Congress? Reacts ‘My wife doesn’t want me to’

Raghuram Rajan, former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor, said that his family does not want him to enter politics.

In a recent interview with The Print, Rajan said, “I have said repeatedly and people still don’t believe me. I am an academic, my business is not kissing babies. I have a family and a wife, who doesn’t want me to enter politics for a good reason. So, rather than enter politics, what I would like to do is help guide where I can.”

On speculation of whether he would join the Congress, he said, “And that’s what I try and do. So, where I feel government policies are going off track - I talk about it.”

When asked about his closeness with Rahul Gandhi and whether he advises the former Congress chief, Rajan said that Rahul is often depicted as someone who doesn’t have the capability to think and lead.

“I think that’s such a wrong portrayal in the sense that you know he’s smart, intelligent, and also brave. I think what people discount - which they should not - is this is a family which has seen the grandmother assassinated, the father blown up,” he said.

“To engage in politics, to be in the midst of crowds - if I had that experience I’d be hiding in a bed all the time. So I think there are a lot of attributes that are commendable,” he remarked.

He further added, “If you look at his record of what he’s been saying on events. I think he’s been right during Covid...(when he said) we need to do more preparation, we need to act early. It was the Congress calling off rallies which eventually led to stopping politicking during the second wave.”

Rahul Gandhi does not have all the answers, Raghuram Rajan said but “he is a very reasonable leader contrary to what has been portrayed. He has strong convictions, you have to debate those convictions if you disagree with them but he’s perfectly willing to engage in that debate.”

The former governor has been critical of some of the Modi government’s policies like PLI scheme and massive investment in the chip industry.

Rajan joined Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in December 2022. He also had a conversation with Rahul on the sidelines of the yatra. This had stirred up a buzz and growing speculations that Raghuram Rajan joining the Congress.

Reacting to this development, BJP’s IT department head Amit Malviya said Rajan joining Rahul Gandhi’s yatra was “not a surprise”.

“He fancies himself as the next Manmohan Singh. Just that his commentary on India’s economy should be discarded with disdain. It is coloured and opportunistic,” added Malviya.

(With inputs from agencies)