Sheila is shining

MANDATE 2004/ PARTY LINE

The dimunitive chief minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit, has acquired a giant stature after leading her party, the Congress, to victory at yet another electoral contest.

Her political savvy was given weightage during the Lok Sabha polls, when she was asked by party president Sonia Gandhi to travel across the country to places like Pune, Raipur, Indore and Bhopal and gauge the mood of the people. Business Standard spoke to Sheila Dikshit on how the Congress sprang the electoral surprise of the decade.

What did the Congress do right and the NDA do wrong in your opinion?

The NDA's entire governance was focussed on the rich and their India shining campaign instead on creating a feel good made the have nots feel bad.

It made people realise that the government was oblivious to their plight and wanted to dazzle to deceive. We also were consistent with our policies, our slogan of empathising with the common man or aam aadmi struck the right note.

Did the entry of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi make a difference to the party's prospects?

Definitely. The entry of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka infused a whole lot of energy into the cadre and the party. The BJP was constantly saying that we were a party of geriatrics and that they had young leaders, with the entry and the good response received by Rahul and Priyanka, it became clear that the BJP did not have a premium on young leaders.

Do you think that this will quietly bury the development agenda in politics with the defeat on Naidu and the NDA?

Absolutely not. Here one has to be clear which kind of development are we talking about. When we as a Congress led government in Delhi spoke of development we spoke not just of good roads but also good facilities for places like unauthorised colonies and urban villages. You cannot ignore the the common voting public.

Has this mandate buried the foreign origin issue of Sonia Gandhi?

Yes. The BJP did not realise for the common public of the country this was never an issue. Our nation is known to be absorbent of people, never has it rejected anyone. This ignorance of history has resulted in BJP's fall from grace.

How do you read the Gujarat results where the party has made an entry after 14 years?

This is a clear signal to Mr Narendra Modi that the injustice which has been done to the people in Gujarat will not be tolerated. The politics of hate will only carry people so far and no further.

Do you see yourself as a player in a future Congress government at the centre, a ministership perhaps?

Absolutely not. I am happy where I am, especially after sending so many Congress MP to Parliament. I now expect more co-operation from them in representing Delhi's interests at the centre. We are going to pushing for statehood, lets us see.