Rahul opened new debate whether RSS hand existed in Mahatma Gandhi's assassination: Digvijaya Singh

Assembly elections will be held in Madhya Pradesh later this year. The state is being ruled by the BJP for the last 15 years, but the Congress is looking for a comeback. And the man who has been entrusted with the task is former chief minister and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. He has been given the charge to manage elections for the party.

Digvijaya Singh has kept a low profile since his six-month-long Narmada yatra which concluded in April this year. He spoke to WION's Kartikeya Sharma on a range of issues, from Madhya Pradesh elections to Rahul Gandhi. He said that Rahul Gandhi has done the right thing by not withdrawing his statement on RSS and assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.

Here's the full transcript of the interview:

WION: What are the issues on which Congress is fighting elections in Madhya Pradesh?

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Digvijaya Singh: Large scale corruption, like Vyapam, illegal mining of land and farmer distress are one of the prominent issues. Even administration has collapsed. There is an unrest in rural areas. It has happened because of the faulty procurement policy of the state government. MNREGA funds are not being properly utilised. For example, it was claimed by the state government that they planted 6.5 crore trees around Narmada but during by padyatra (journey on foot) we found that less than 50,000 trees have been planted. Farmers too are not getting the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce. Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana (price deficiency payment scheme) of the state government has been an utter failure. It is for this reason that farmer suicides have increased in Madhya Pradesh.

WION: After you, no big leader of significance from the state has come out. Isn't absence of regional leadership the biggest problem for the Congress in Madhya Pradesh?

Digvijaya Singh: There is no dearth of senior political leaders. Kamal Nath, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kantilal Bhuria, Arun Yadav, Suresh Pachauri and Arun Singh are there in the state. So, the leadership exists.

WION: But most of them have been doing politics in Delhi. Isn't it?

Digvijaya Singh: Only Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia are in Delhi, the rest are in Madhya Pradesh.

WION: Are the differences between Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia resolved to the party's satisfaction?

Digvijaya Singh: There are no differences as such. Duties for the both have been defined. They are working on it.

WION: Is Congress going to get into an alliance with smaller parties?

Digvijaya Singh: We are looking for an alliance with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) but final call will be taken by the leadership in Delhi.

WION: Am I speaking to the CM candidate of the Congress party?

Digvijaya Singh: Not at all.

WION: Then who is the face of elections in Madhya Pradesh?

Digvijaya Singh: We don't have a face in this election. The face would be decided by the newly-elected MLAs under the direction of Congress president.

WION: How do you expect to bridge the massive vote percentage gap between your party and the BJP?

Digvijaya Singh: The state elections are different from parliamentary elections and cannot be compared. The margin of victory in few of the seats was huge for BJP but in majority, the difference between us and them was not much.

WION: What are your views on the grand alliance? Is it a good idea?

Digvijaya Singh: In 2014 elections, BJP secured 280+ seats with 31 per cent vote. But last three by-elections showed that if all political parties come together to fight BJP on ideological lines, BJP can be simply defeated. So an alliance is required.

WION: Don't you feel than Congress will get further marginalised electorally?

Digvijaya Singh: Politics is an art of possibility and it has to be seen in the present context. As of today, we have to look for like-minded parties. Next elections will be fought on ideological grounds and not on personalities.

WION: Are you saying that it is not going to be Modi vs Rahul?

Digvijaya Singh: Certainly not. The fight will be between the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi and MS Golwalkar.

WION: What do you have to say on Rahul Gandhi's statement on RSS and Gandhi's assassination?

Digvijaya Singh: I'm extremely happy that Rahul Gandhi has taken a stand on this issue and has refused to withdraw his comments. What Rahul Gandhi said on Gandhi's assassination and RSS is based on historical facts. He has opened a new debate in the country whether RSS hand existed in the murder of Mahatma Gandhi. What was the relationship between Savarkar and Golwalkar? What was the relationship of Nathuram Godse with RSS and Hindu Mahasabha? After all, the basic ideology is the same and ultimately right wing religious fanaticism led to the murder of Gandhi.

WION: Doesn't this campaign run the risk of differentiating between RSS and larger Hindu sentiments?

Digvijaya Singh: RSS does not represent Hindu sentiments. Hindutva has nothing to do with Hindu religion. They are using religion to create hatred amongst fellow Indians and dividing the society. They are hitting at the idea of India. The religious fanaticism today is hitting at the idea of India. Anyone who opposes this ideology is being eliminated. RSS never accepted Ambedkar's Constitution. RSS does not stand for democracy, therefore we are fighting an ideological battle in the country.