Even as party insiders blame city president Sanjay Nirupam for everything that’s going wrong with Congress, the leader has a different story to tell
In December 2015, there was a strong demand to remove Sanjay Nirupam from the party president's post after he projected former PM Jawaharlal Nehru as a villain in the party mouthpiece, Congress Darshan. He only managed to save his seat after Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi accepted his apology
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The Congress is divided into several camps. Do you think that the party can survive this and make an impressive comeback in the BMC elections?
People in the party have their expectations regarding the selection of candidates and distribution of tickets. This has been a bone of contention in the party as many leaders think that I will give tickets to my close aides and that their candidates will not be considered. But, this is not true. To avoid disputes within the party, I have decided not to take responsibility of distributing the tickets. The district leaders will be responsible for finalising the tickets and they will have to ensure their victory. I have let go of all my powers to bring everyone together.
Do you see the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen as a threat to the Congress?
In 2014, there was a negative wave against the party. [Narendra] Modi was a viable option. While most people preferred BJP, minorities chose to go with AIMIM. But, today, it is a different scenario. Everyone knows that AIMIM is funded by the BJP. Only a few youngsters who don't understand politics follow AIMIM because of the Owaisi brothers’ fiery speeches. AIMIM may gain some votes, but they will not be able to hurt Congress significantly.
But, in the recent state municipal council elections while BJP and AIMIM registered an impressive victory, Congress struggled. How has the situation changed in the last three years?
Of the 4,000 municipal council seats, AIMIM won only 40 to 50, which is not so much of a concern for us. BJP won 1,150 seats, of which nearly 650 seats were from the Vidarbha region, which is anyway their stronghold. The ruling party always has the advantage in smaller elections. People had written off the Congress in 2014, but we won around 1,000 council seats. This number should alarm the BJP.
In the last few months, the BJP has been trying to lure north Indians, who have traditionally voted for the Congress. Do you see that as a threat?
While CM Devendra Fadnavis is busy attending get-together programmes organised for north Indians, the BJP hasn’t done anything to take the Hawkers Protection Act forward. Over 80 per cent hawkers in the city are north Indians, yet this isn’t on their agenda. On the one side, the BJP wants votes from north Indians, but on the other, the BMC commissioner has taken action against more than one lakh hawkers in the last few years. Can the CM explain this contradiction? Another example is the permits for autos and taxis. The government had made it mandatory for drivers to know Marathi. BJP wants their votes after snatching their bread and butter. North Indians will come back to the Congress.
There is speculation that without an alliance (with NCP), Congress will struggle to retain its existing seats.
A few months ago, all the party leaders in Mumbai had decided to contest the BMC elections alone. I also conveyed this to our party leadership in Delhi and they approved it. In the 2007 BMC elections, we won 76 seats without any alliance and then, in 2012, when we contested with the alliance, we were reduced to 56 seats. That alliance was a mistake. We do not need to join hands with the NCP.
Will the fight between the Sena and BJP affect the Congress?
Both, Sena and BJP are misguiding citizens. In the past, BJP leaders had alleged that corruption and mafia raj in the BMC begins from Matoshree (Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s residence). If BJP is accusing the Sena of corruption, they have to explain why they have been silently sharing power with the Sena for the last two decades.
Why do you think citizens of Mumbai will vote for the Congress?
Sena and BJP have failed to make considerable improvement in providing clean water or improving roads and sewerage facilities. The citizens are angry. In the last two years, Congress has worked hard and exposed the Sena-BJP’s failed governance. We are confident of getting more numbers this year.
With Congress joining hands with Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, are we going to see something similar in the BMC elections?
As of now, there is no such proposal for an alliance with the Samajwadi Party. If there is any such plan, it would be considered.
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