Those who split states, lost: Digvijay Singh

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Hyderabad: Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh, known for his unique insights into issues, gave an interesting twist to the question of Telangana statehood, during the course of an exclusive interview with Deccan Chronicle on Friday. Singh, who was in Hyderabad on a private visit, reiterated his stand and said Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is a media creation and has hired an expensive US PR agency to hype his achievements.
 
Asked about his view on the Telangana imbroglio, given that he was Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh when the state was divided, Singh said: “I don’t want to offer any solution, but there is one thing I want to bring to your notice. During the NDA regime in the year 2000, three new states were created by bifurcating UP, Bihar and MP. What happened after that? The NDA lost in the elections and political parties who were in power in the states also lost power.”
While Singh himself was Chief Minister of MP, Rajnath Singh was at the helm in Uttar Pradesh and Rabri Devi was in power in Bihar, when Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand were created out of those states.
“Are you saying the Congress will also lose if Telangana state is granted?” he was asked. Singh replied with a laugh: “I’m not making such an inference. You are free to draw your own inference on this.”
AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh has said that it is 100 per cent certain that the UPA will form government at the Centre after the 2014 elections. He has also said that Rahul Gandhi will be the next Prime Minister of the country.
Excerpts from the interview
Q. You are very loyal to Rahul Gandhi and a votary of his being the next Prime Minister, but Mr Gandhi himself seems not to be inclined to become PM.
A. Who told you that Rahul Gandhi has said he will not become PM? Can I have his statement in any newspaper or news channel that he is not interested in the PM’s post? He never said he would not become PM.
Please note, Rahul Gandhi will be the next PM.
Q. He is not seen to be as aggressive as Narendra Modi. Mr Gandhi never addresses the media to air his views.
A. Why should he be aggressive? Why should he interact with the media? He talks freely to all party leaders and cadres. He visits a number of states in the country. He directly interacts with all sections of people.
Just because he doesn’t interact with the media, one should not underestimate his capacity. He is very responsive to people’s needs, he need not respond to media stories.
Q. In contrast, Mr Modi talks on several issues, more particularly on the development that took place in Gujarat.
A. One cannot compare Rahul Gandhi with Narendra Modi. Rahul has a different vision and zeal to do something positive for the country.  Narendra Modi’s projection as Prime Minister is only media hype. I know Mr Modi has engaged a US public relations agency for 300 million US dollars to project him as the PM candidate.
Everyone is praising him for development in Gujarat. But I am telling you Gujarat has the highest per capita debt in the country. How can a person who is responsible for higher indebtedness of Gujarat’s people want to be PM of this great nation?
Q. What do you say about recent surveys and opinion polls that project Modi as a favourite for the PM’s post?
A. That is all media hype. For a country that has more than 100 crore population, some survey agencies gather 100, 500 or 1,000 opinions and pretend as if that is the view of the entire nation. The Congress doesn’t believe all this. I want to put some questions to the media. Which media projected UPA-1 will form the government in 2004? Which media projected Congress will bag 207 seats in 2009?
Modi is not at all an issue for the Congress, but he has already become problematic for the BJP and the NDA. Let them sort out that first. I don’t think the country needs an anti-dalit, anti-secular, anti-minority, anti-ideology politician like Modi.
Q. How do you rate the prospects of the UPA in the next election?
A. It is written on the wall — 100 per cent the UPA will form government again.
Q. With all the scams, price rise, anti-incumbency, you still believe it will come to power again?
A. Exactly. First of all have you ever heard of or seen ministers, MPs, top bureaucrats and industrialists land up in jail for the scams they have committed or alleged to have committed? Did such a thing ever happen during the NDA regime? A person who was caught on TV camera receiving one lakh rupees as bribe, was he arrested? We are definitely different from others. We have taken action against all those accused.
Q. Isn’t price rise an issue people may vote against?
A. It is an area of concern. But let me analyse it. For the last few months prices of essential commodities are coming down. Gold and silver price is on the down side. We must also appreciate the fact that the minimum support prices for important crops increased manifold during UPA-1 and UPA-2.
At the same time we have taken steps to strengthen the public distribution system. We are going to bring in the Food Security Act too, to provide relief to common people. The situation will further improve and there will be a positive vote for the UPA this time.
Q. As former general secretary of the AP Congress how do you view the political situation in the state?
A. (Chief Minister) Kiran Kumar Reddy is doing his best. We know there are problems and issues like Telangana statehood, Jagan Mohan Reddy factor etc. Ghulam Nabi Azad would know things here better. Anyway, it is for the state Congress leadership to convince people to its side. I hope they will do it.Q. But you know about the Telangana problem and its likely solution.
A. I know the Telangana issue very well. I also believe the Congress high command better decide the issue.
Q. You were the CM when Madhya Pradesh was bifurcated. What solution can you offer for the Telangana issue?
A. I don’t want to offer any solution, but one thing I want to bring to your notice. During NDA regime in the year 2000, three new states were created by bifurcating UP, Bihar and MP. What has happened after that? The NDA lost in the elections, political parties who were in power in the respective states also lost power in the subsequent polls held after the bifurcation.
Q. What is the inference you want to draw? Are you saying the Congress will also lose if Telangana state is granted?
A. (Laughs) I am not making such an inference. You are free to draw your own inference on this. I am only telling the facts.