'Cong workers singing Hum Honge Kamyab'

Q&A

As the second leg of Gujarat assembly elections comes to an end, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee chief and former chief minister Madhavsinh Solanki's son, Bharatsinh Madhavsinh Solanki, talks about the elections and his future plans.

So, how do you see the Congress faring in this election?

We will form the next government in Gujarat. Our estimates suggest we will get around 120 seats. We will make a major dent in the BJP's tally in Saurashtra, which accounts for 52 seats in the Assembly and where the BJP had won 35 seats last time around. We are also expecting to do well in the rural areas. I want to run the last leg of this election like Carl Lewis, like a 100-metre super-dash.

But the BJP seems to be confident about Narendra Modi's return to power.

Nobody can make such claims without knowing what rural Gujarat thinks. There is a silent majority in rural areas which decides who is fit to rule the state. The parliamentary election in 2004 is a classic example. There was a silent majority of voters which emphatically stated that India was not shining under the NDA. I had advised a lot of my Congress friends to contest as I could see a clear undercurrent in favour of my party. In fact, over all, we beat the BJP in 2004 in the number of Assembly segments which went our way, a point ignored by many psephologists and the BJP. Today, when I visit rural areas, I can feel a similar undercurrent in our favour. I believe Dinsha Patel will defeat Narenda Modi in Maninagar as well.

The Congress under you has been a different party in Gujarat. Did you face any resistance in introducing changes during your stint as the GPCC chief?

Ever since I took over in 2006, I have done things by taking people along. My first public rally took off almost an hour late because I made it a point to wait for my colleagues. After a long time, there was a rally where almost all Congress leaders were present. It is all about human relations. There is difference between a mass leader and a manager. A manager like Arun Jaitley cannot win an election in Gujarat.

The Congress has been passing through a rough patch in Gujarat. What has been your approach?

Ups and downs are a part of any game. When I joined politics in 1992, the party's fortunes had hit rock bottom. Today, we are hopeful of winning this election.

The first thing I told my co-workers after taking over was: Party is above everything. Second, there cannot be miracles. We will have to work hard and work as a unit if we want to win. Discipline was one area we focused on, not just in terms of infighting.

Today, the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee is the only political office in India where tobacco and smoking is not allowed. We have made it clear that this is a workplace and not a gossip 'adda'.

Unlike Modi, who thrives on the politics of fear and favour, we have tried to create an atmosphere of cohesion and trust. Politics is about taking the maximum number of people with you and not alienating them as Modi seems to have done. Today, the entire Congress is fighting as one. As against Modi's Rs 3,000 per hoarding, we have gone for a Rs 70 wall painting and yet it has evoked a better response. We started off by singing songs like "Sathi Haath Badhana'. Today, my co-workers are singing "Hum Honge Kamyab'.

But Modi claims to run an honest government. What do you have to say on that?

This is a government of 'paanch crorepatis' (five billionaires), who thrive on the patronage of Narendra Modi. In the name of development, he has made sure that only big business thrives. But it is not easy to fool people. Gujarat's voter is aware of the nexus a handful of industrialists have with the chief minister.

Do you mean to say Gujarat has not done well under the BJP?

Yes. The state has slid in its overall ranking. Our core industries, namely textiles, pharma, dyestuff and diamonds, are facing the heat due to some state government policies. Small and medium enterprises, which have been Gujarat's core strength, have suffered in this regime. Only a select few large industrial houses have got the benefit. For instance, pharmaceutical companies are moving out of Gujarat because of state government's policies. Diamond industry is facing issues. How can we say that the state has done well in this regime?

What will be the Congress party's agenda if it comes to power?

We intend to make Gujarat the knowledge corridor of India. The state has lost out on the information technology front. Today, when I see youngsters doing well in Bangalore, I think why can't the young people of my state have similar opportunities. Why should we lag behind. We will offer these opportunities and more when we come to power.

But don't you think Gujarat has attracted a lot of investments? The state government has been giving out impressive figures to make the point.

Gujarat has been one of the most industrialised states right from the beginning. In fact, I would say that the it is the Gujarati spirit of entrepreneurship which is responsible for its growth and successive governments and chief ministers have contributed to its growth. Nobody can claim that he has made Gujarat what it is today, it is the character of the people which has ensured its success.

The investment figures provided by the state government are fudged. In fact, in terms of attracting foreign direct investment, Gujarat is far behind many other states. A lot of the capital being invested in the state is home-grown, which is not a bad thing in itself, but the BJP's lie that Gujarat has become the investment destination for foreign capital has to be nailed.