ET BureauGhulam Nabi Azad says there in an overwhelming desire among Congress workers to see Priyanka Gandhi pitching along Rahul Gandhi in the UP electoral battle and that “is for her to take the final decision on that”. In an interview to ET, Azad also asserts that Rahul Gandhi, like his grandmother and parents, “believes in working as a bridge between senior leaders and youngsters”. Soon after six party MLAs were sacked for cross-voting in Rajya Sabha polls, Azad had also disclosed that he has called a two-day brain-storming session in Lucknow from Thursday for actionplan for polls. Excerpts:
As you, who was famously called by Sonia Gandhi as her “lucky mascot”, is returning as AICC general secretary in-charge of UP, party circles feel this is your toughest challenge. Your comments?
This is the fourth time I have been appointed AICC general secretary in-charge of UP. But I remember my stint in 1987 most, when I requested Rajiv to relieve me from the cabinet and send me to UP as AICC in-charge when V P Singh, Arun Nehru, Arif Mohammad Khan..etc left the party and challenged Congress with the support of BJP, SP and BSP. My task was to confine VP Singh and his camp to UP, and we organised around 1000 meetings across the state. I think this one is the most challenging assignment since.
How are planning to go about it?
Congress may be down, but certainly not out in UP. I see three tasks. First, to strengthen and unite the party organisation. Second, to create an atmosphere and strategy in order to maximize our victory.
Third, people of UP have had enough of this caste politics and now they are also scared of the BJP attempt to inject a heavy doze of religious communalism. The Congress, therefore, should project itself as the only party that stands for unifying the entire society and lead UP back to the path of development, peace and secularism, something for which people are craving for.
So, what is the action-plan for that and elections?
I have already instructed the PCC leadership to organise a two-day brain-storming session of around 800 Congress leaders of UP in Lucknow from Thursday.
The gathering will comprise PCC leaders, DCC and city Congress presidents, AICC members, leaders of all frontal organsiations, party cells, sitting and former party MPs and MLAs. I will meet them collectively and in sessions to hear their views, take the inputs to frame our action plan for the organization and for assembly elections.
Have you decided who will be the UP Congress face, the CM candidate?
Not yet. I think it is better to project a Congress face, a CM candidate in the elections. I will wait to get the input from the Lucknow meeting.
There is an increasing call from Congressmen for Priyanka to take a lead role in UP polls. Will she?
There is an overwhelming desire among the party workers to see Priyanka Ji pitching along Rahul ji to play an active role in UP electoral battle. That is a fact.
Priyanka Ji is already doing a very important job of taking care of the Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies, more so since the Congress President and Vice President are preoccupied with their larger responsibilities. It will be for Priyanka ji to assess whether she will could spare time from her current responsibilities and play a larger role for the party in UP. It will be for her to take a final decision in this regard.
Is there going to be a new PCC chief?
We have not taken a decision yet.
What about senior vs young leaders talk in Congress leadership?
Let me make it clear that Rahul believes in, and is working as, the way Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia have approached the issue of dealing with different generations in leadership. I have seen how Indira ensured the generation that belonged to Nehru, her own and youngsters like us worked together both in the government and in party leadership.
Sanjay and Rajiv ensured their mother’s generation and us worked as a team. Sonia ensured our generation and youngsters formed a team. Similarly, Rahul believes in working as a bridge between seniors and youngsters and making a team out of both in which both Rahul and Sonia play their own important roles.
Respectful co-existence and cooperation of different generations is the essence of Indian society and Congress party reflects this culture most. We are not like Western society, where youngsters move away from parents and live separately. In Indian politics, there are various sections that appeal to seniors and youngsters.
What about talks of Rahul taking over as Congress president?
We are all confident and hopeful of that happening one day.
As you, who was famously called by Sonia Gandhi as her “lucky mascot”, is returning as AICC general secretary in-charge of UP, party circles feel this is your toughest challenge. Your comments?
This is the fourth time I have been appointed AICC general secretary in-charge of UP. But I remember my stint in 1987 most, when I requested Rajiv to relieve me from the cabinet and send me to UP as AICC in-charge when V P Singh, Arun Nehru, Arif Mohammad Khan..etc left the party and challenged Congress with the support of BJP, SP and BSP. My task was to confine VP Singh and his camp to UP, and we organised around 1000 meetings across the state. I think this one is the most challenging assignment since.
How are planning to go about it?
Congress may be down, but certainly not out in UP. I see three tasks. First, to strengthen and unite the party organisation. Second, to create an atmosphere and strategy in order to maximize our victory.
Third, people of UP have had enough of this caste politics and now they are also scared of the BJP attempt to inject a heavy doze of religious communalism. The Congress, therefore, should project itself as the only party that stands for unifying the entire society and lead UP back to the path of development, peace and secularism, something for which people are craving for.
So, what is the action-plan for that and elections?
I have already instructed the PCC leadership to organise a two-day brain-storming session of around 800 Congress leaders of UP in Lucknow from Thursday.
The gathering will comprise PCC leaders, DCC and city Congress presidents, AICC members, leaders of all frontal organsiations, party cells, sitting and former party MPs and MLAs. I will meet them collectively and in sessions to hear their views, take the inputs to frame our action plan for the organization and for assembly elections.
Have you decided who will be the UP Congress face, the CM candidate?
Not yet. I think it is better to project a Congress face, a CM candidate in the elections. I will wait to get the input from the Lucknow meeting.
There is an increasing call from Congressmen for Priyanka to take a lead role in UP polls. Will she?
There is an overwhelming desire among the party workers to see Priyanka Ji pitching along Rahul ji to play an active role in UP electoral battle. That is a fact.
Priyanka Ji is already doing a very important job of taking care of the Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies, more so since the Congress President and Vice President are preoccupied with their larger responsibilities. It will be for Priyanka ji to assess whether she will could spare time from her current responsibilities and play a larger role for the party in UP. It will be for her to take a final decision in this regard.
Is there going to be a new PCC chief?
We have not taken a decision yet.
What about senior vs young leaders talk in Congress leadership?
Let me make it clear that Rahul believes in, and is working as, the way Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia have approached the issue of dealing with different generations in leadership. I have seen how Indira ensured the generation that belonged to Nehru, her own and youngsters like us worked together both in the government and in party leadership.
Sanjay and Rajiv ensured their mother’s generation and us worked as a team. Sonia ensured our generation and youngsters formed a team. Similarly, Rahul believes in working as a bridge between seniors and youngsters and making a team out of both in which both Rahul and Sonia play their own important roles.
Respectful co-existence and cooperation of different generations is the essence of Indian society and Congress party reflects this culture most. We are not like Western society, where youngsters move away from parents and live separately. In Indian politics, there are various sections that appeal to seniors and youngsters.
What about talks of Rahul taking over as Congress president?
We are all confident and hopeful of that happening one day.
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