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He's got the Pawar |
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By: RANJITT KHOMNE |
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Date:
2009-05-05 |
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Place:Mumbai |
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He is riled as the man most untrustworthy. He is said to have friends across all political parties, a quality that makes the Congress jittery since that is thought to be his big ticket for the PM's post
Pawar has spoken about Dr Manmohan Singh and his tenure as PM throughout his poll campaign. However, for the first time he opened up on the issue of Sonia Gandhi's candidature for the PM's post the issue on which he broke away from the Congress to form his own Nationalist Congress Party in 1999. Excerpts from an exclusive interview with RANJITT KHOMNE...
 You have been lauding Dr Manmohan Singh as a great PM.
It is because of his ideas and leadership that the UPA government has done a great job. His clean image has helped the UPA.
But you do not endorse him as the next PM.
Six months ago, I proposed to the Congress that let's declare Dr Singh as the UPA candidate for the PM's post, but it refused to do so.
Is that the reason why your party declared your name?
Every party is free to announce the name it feels is right for the post. Had the Congress responded to my suggestion of a PM's name prior to the polls, it would have been a different case.
Is Dr Singh a poll mascot only till the elections are over?
That's for the Congress to say. Maybe, they want to consolidate their party position by declaring his name for the post.
But you say Dr Singh is only the Congress candidate and not UPA's.
Yes. The UPA members will decide on the PM after the results are out.
What if the Congress suggests Sonia's name for the PM's post?
So far they have suggested only Dr Singh's name, which is yet to be ratified by the UPA members. Let them suggest any other name, we will think of it then.
Will you support her as PM?
Why worry about it right now? Let them first suggest a name after the results are out.
Your party launched the Pawar-as-PM poll campaign this time.
People feel the next PM should be from this state, so what's wrong with it.
Uddhav and Raj Thackeray say your love for Maharashtra is only to become the PM.
I do not take them seriously. They are too immature to do some sensible thinking.
BJP claims to promise development if voted to power.
Traditional parties like the Sena and the BJP can never take this nation forward by making people more worried about their caste and religious affiliations. A forward-looking and development-oriented approach is a must today.
The BJP is also showcasing Narendra Modi as its future leader.
When you divide people on the basis of religion, make them feel insecure by your acts, they unite. Any such unity is always for secular forces.
Mayawati is also trying to unite Dalits, Muslims and OBCs.
Mayawati unites Dalits by spreading fear psychosis among them. She rules at the cost of Dalits; she does not give them political leadership.
What are your priorities in your next tenure?
Agro processing projects, marketing for agriculture produce, infrastructure and communications technology.
Is subsidy-based agriculture for good?
If you give famers enough water and power supply matched with agro-processing facilities and a strategised marketing network, they won't need subsidies at all. Farming is an unviable profession in India because 60% of agro land is without water. Nearly 82% farmers in India have less than five hectares of land. In such cases, farming cannot even support a family of five persons.
What about aviation?
People will remember aviation minister Praful Patel for bringing air travel within the reach of the middle class. The quality and number of our airports and infrastructure has improved in his tenure. This should be taken forward.
Do you think you will improve your tally in Maharashtra?
People seem to welcome the Rs 65,000 crore loan waiver and the good procurement prices. The urbanisation through the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission has also been well-received.
We could not hold the IPL in India this time.
I think we did not have the political will to do that. How can we not assure security to a sports event. It's ridiculous.
PM contenders
Rahul Gandhi, 39
Mayawati, 53
Lalu Prasad Yadav, 62
Sonia Gandhi, 63
Sharad Pawar, 69
Mulayam Singh, 70
Dr Manmohan Singh, 77
L K Advani, 82
Pawar politics
>>Brought down his own party government led by late Vasantdada Patil in 1978 to become the youngest CM of Maharashtra at 38.
>>Joined Rajiv Gandhi in 1987.
>>Quit Congress in 1999 opposing Italy-born-Sonia-as-PM issue.
>>Regarded as the strongest and most influential politician from state.
>>A grassroots man, knows top talent across all political parties in all tehsils of Maharashtra.
>>Pawar-baiters like former Union home minister Shivraj Patil, former CMs Vilasrao Deshmukh and A R Antulay have all lost elections, but were rewarded and rehabilitated by the party. |
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