Gujarat election is about people vs govt policies: Former Union Minister RPN Singh tells WION

Speaking exclusively to WION’s Kartikeya Sharma, the former MoS Home Affairs also talks about Gujarat, Rahul Gandhi, and the state of Congress.

He adds that the policies of the ruling BJP government at the Centre have hurt the common man.

Here is the full transcript of the interview:

Q: Is Congress’ election campaign in Gujarat on the line of UP ke ladke, the election campaign theme of SP-Cong in Uttar Pradesh? Rahul Gandhi plus three boys from the state against Narendra Modi?

RPN Singh: Not at all. I is not about individuals.It is not Rahul Gandhi vs anyone. It is not about individuals. It is about people of Gujarat and problems accruing from the policies of BJP-led state and central governments. People have suffered and Rahul Gandhi is only voicing the discomfort faced by people of Gujarat. It is people of Gujarat versus policies of the present government.

Q: Demonetisation did not work in UP. What makes you think that GST as a political campaign will work in Gujarat?

RPN Singh: BJP did a smart thing during UP elections. The message which went out during UP elections was that haves were being attacked and money would eventually be ploughed back to have nots. BJP had earlier promised Rs 15 lakh in people’s account and electorate thought that perhaps this scheme is probably a culmination of that promise. This messaging worked then, but now people understand that demonetisation led to nothing. And GST has hurt people.

Q: What is the main challenge for the Congress in Jharkhand?

RPN Singh: BJP government in Jharkhand has been trying to tweak land laws to parcel out land from the tribal community. We have been trying to stall it. They have tried changing land acquisition rules too. There are many issues in the state like health and hunger. Many children died because their mothers were malnourished. Poor has suffered in the state. These are the issues we want to focus on. And then the main focus remains on organization.

Q: Congress for quite some time has been in alliance with regional parties in the state. So how do you expect to challenge BJP?

RPN Singh: Congress has not done well in assembly and Lok Sabha elections last time around. We are trying to strengthen the Congress from booth level onwards. We are trying to take all communities on board.

Q: Every assembly election, Congress jumps into the lap of a regional party. How will you change the outlook?

RPN Singh: In Jharkhand, we contested independently and votes against BJP got divided which helped them. We are making sure that Congress is present in all 81 seats. Though elections are two years away but even if we go for alliance this time around we would like to be equal partners this time around. We aren’t ruling out alliance but it needs to be on equal footing.

Q: What explains the rapid expansion of BJP in many states?

RPN Singh: This issue has been addressed many times. In the last two to three years, we lost touch with real issues and what people wanted from us. We did good work but did not communicate well enough. We weren’t good at it then. The UPA did a good job in social sector. What we see today is strong communication by BJP but the work on the ground remains nil.

Q: Did the issue of saffron terror controversy impact Congress very negatively?

RPN Singh: Those speeches have never ever been Congress party’s view. Terror has no caste, religion or creed; those were individual remarks which I believe were communicated out of context. It has never been the Congress' stand but a perception was created and it did impact the Congress party.

Q: Why is elevation of Rahul Gandhi getting delayed?

RPN Singh: It is not getting delayed. There is an electoral process which is coming to close. PCC delegates have been elected and (his) elevation will happen soon.

Q: Where lies the salvation of the Congress party? In building organization or electoral alliances to stop BJP?

RPN Singh: We need to build our cadre and make people believe in our ideology.

Q: The general message is that Congress has turned Left of Centre?

RPN Singh: We are a centrist party. I will quote late Mrs Indira Gandhi, “We are in the centre and we will stand tall.”