National

"Kesriji, Enough Is Enough, Quit Now"

A.R. Antulay was one of the first Congressmen to attack Sitaram Kesri's withdrawal of support to the UF government, albeit after the confidence vote. He spoke to Bhavdeep Kang about the political crisis.

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"Kesriji, Enough Is Enough, Quit Now"
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You were in favour of a conscience vote on the confidence motion.

I was fielded by the Congress high command to speak in favour of the confidence motion 10 months ago. My mandate was to assure the government of our unconditional support for a full five years. On behalf of the party, I gave the assurance. If those who withdrew support are not concerned

(about going back on the assurance), I am. The House had been badly let down, through me. April 11 was the worst day in the history of the Congress. When the leader of the Opposition asked why the Congress was silent (on the reasons for withdrawal of support), my conscience began pricking me. The only answer to Atalji's query was that I was as ignorant as he was. I wanted to vote for the motion, but could not without the whip's permission. I had to go against my conscience; or I would have been expelled from Parliament. This Anti-Defection Law has made us all servile.

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Did the withdrawal of support come as a surprise?

I had no clue. Despite my seniority, it seems I do not deserve to be invited to the CWC or consulted. The CPP never discusses party strategy; the leader speaks and the debate is wound up. When a resolution was passed converting unconditional support to issue-based support, I was not consulted. Even that was an act of duplicity. One fine morning, we are summoned to Delhi and handed a three-line whip. Are we bonded labour? Is loyalty to be equated with servility? I question the very validity of the CWC. Kesriji is the caretaker president. He has taken such a decision which affects the future of the party and country. By whose mandate?

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Many MPs feel the same way but don't act on it. Is it because of factionalism?

Almost all share my feelings. But remember, only when Stalin died did people begin speaking against him. And as for Narasimha Rao, the very people who demanded his ouster used to appease

him. Somebody has to say, Kesriji, enough is enough. Quit now, so that the party which is dying will be rejuvenated. Dissidence has always been there in the Congress. I, for one, have decided to sink my differences with Sharad Pawar. I will be happy if he becomes CPP leader in place of Kesri and also the Congress president.

Do you see any logic behind Kesri's staking claim to form a government?

Was it arithmetic or the wildest imagination? A year ago, the CWC distributed tickets, but only one-third of those who contested won. We were thrown out. It is misleading to say that as the second largest party, we have the mandate.

Did the Congress have any right to demand Deve Gowda's ouster as UF leader?

No one from the UF has the right to ask Kesri to quit. Likewise, Kesri has no right to ask the UF to change its leader. He is wrong to interfere in the affairs of another party.

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Congress support was aimed at keeping communal forces out. Hasn't its move strengthened these forces?

Yes, the only issue was secularism. So I can't say that your inference is very wrong.

What are the Congress prospects in a mid-term poll?

I will not seek a Congress ticket. The party should not go to the polls. The people will hold us squarely responsible for unwarranted and undesirable elections. If anyone now believes in forming a government with Congress support from the outside, his fate will be the same as that of Gowda.

How do you react to Kesri calling Gowda a ' nikamma '?

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The prime minister represents the country abroad. By calling him nikamma , you are calling the country nikamma. It does not befit Kesriji at his age and as a Congressman to say this. And he talks of sammaan... how much sammaan has he given others?

Should the Congress go back to the old arrangement with the UF?

No. The Congress should join the government, not merely support it from outside.

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