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National Secretary of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Rajya Sabha member and noted criminal lawyer Majeed Memon tells Kavita Chowdhury that the NCP's support to BJP in Maharashtra was only for a stable government and questions the UPA's existence. Edited excerpts:
After extending support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra, what will be the NCP's stand at the Centre. For instance, in the winter session of Parliament?
We will be in the Opposition, undoubtedly. In Maharashtra, we have explained unequivocally our stand for supporting the BJP. First, because the mandate needs to be respected - the BJP has been given a clear mandate to be the single largest party ahead of the Shiv Sena, but they were short of a few seats to form the government. To prevent horse-trading and to enable the BJP to form a minority government, we extended outside support. And since the Shiv Sena's stand has been strange and unpredictable, it became all the more necessary for us to support the BJP. Second, we did not want to push the state into a snap poll again.
But NCP chief Sharad Pawar recently went on the record to say that the support to the BJP was not permanent and partyworkers should be prepared for mid-term polls.
Pawar has clarified that statement; we are not interested in toppling the government. But our support is subject to the minority BJP government working in the interests of Maharashtra. As long as they work for the people of Maharashtra, we are with them.
Is the NCP still a part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)?
Where is the UPA now? The Congress is fighting a battle for survival. And we, the NCP, had broken our ties with the Congress before the Maharashtra elections. So for all practical purposes, nothing survives now. In Parliament, we sit in the Opposition benches against the BJP.
But what about important laws like the Goods and Services Tax and Insurance Bill? What will the NCP's stand be on such issues?
The NCP will be meeting before the Parliament session on November 24th and look at all the Bills on individual merit. If it is in the interest of the country, then we will support it, even though we have ideological differences with the BJP.
What will be your strategy in Parliament since the Congress is talking of working towards a "collective Opposition" with other parties. Will the NCP be a part of this?
Of course. The Congress is just one of the parties in that Opposition. We are there in the opposition with the Congress, Janata Dal (United), Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party.
How is the NCP explaining its action of supporting the BJP to Muslims, who constitute a large section of your minority vote bank?
Our ideological differences with the BJP regarding secularism and Hindutva remain unaffected and our commitment to a secular society remains firmly intact. Even though we have chosen to support the BJP, it is purely to avoid a snap poll and respect the popular mandate. The NCP is committed to secularism and Muslims must continue to trust it. We (the NCP) have to stand as a watchdog against any mischief or tampering of fundamental values of our Constitution in a secular democracy.
Moreover, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has, in his maiden speech in Parliament, proclaimed that "sabka saath, sabka vikaas" (support for everyone, development for everyone) and that he will reach out to even the most marginalised citizens in his efforts for development. I would like to see him keep his word. It also means that he is not going to and cannot ignore the 200 million Muslims in the country. That is where we have to wait and observe.
But Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule, who is a Lok Sabha MP, spoke out against the decision to support the BJP at a recent party meeting?
Both Sule and Jayant Patil expressed their concerns and even I agreed with them at the meeting and said that there is an apprehension among minorities about us extending support to the BJP. But Pawar assured us of his commitment to the Muslims and minorities and he must be trusted. This (support) is provisional, local and in keeping with the current situation in the state.
However, Pawar had already extended support to the BJP in Maharashtra even before they made any overtures.
Once the figures emerged on the day of the results and the people's verdict was known, Pawar with his political maturity offered support much before the Shiv Sena, and the BJP could even assess the implications of the mandate.
The NCP is being perceived as an opportunistic party that aligns with anyone in power.
I have discussed such misapprehensions with Pawar that the NCP is unable to stay without power and, therefore, this decision. There is also a view that we are scared of criminal prosecutions against some of our leaders and to avoid that we are supporting the BJP. Both these apprehensions are ill-founded, there is no truth in it. I would like to state that we can carry out our role as a watchdog opposition more effectively now. See, we haven't offered to join the Maharashtra government. Second, we aren't scared of any criminal prosecution and we are sure our leaders have committed no crime. Both the views are misplaced.
What happens if the Shiv Sena and BJP bury their differences and renew their ties? Will the NCP continue to support the BJP government from outside in Maharashtra?
Currently, Maharashtra politics is shrouded in several "ifs and buts". However, if the Shiv Sena, in spite of all the humiliation, joins the BJP, then our support becomes irrelevant. Our support was basically to install a stable government.
So the NCP is not averse to becoming an ally of the BJP in the future, just like Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party has done?
In politics, nobody is a permanent enemy or untouchable. However, if there are basic ideological differences, then an alliance becomes difficult. But in the future, if the BJP stays away from controversial issues like the idea of a Hindu state, treats minorities equally and focuses on development, then there is no reason why the NCP should not consider aligning with them. You will observe that the BJP is strategically steering away from such issues.
Your opponents say that Pawar has been warming up to Modi for quite some time now and there was evidence of that when they had a secret meeting in the run-up to the elections. What do you say to that?
There is no substance in that. Pawar has been criticising Modi whenever he felt it was against the NCP's ideology. He has also been appreciative of Modi's good qualities such as his oratory skills and marketing ability. As I have always maintained, Narendra Modi is a good Gujarati salesman who can sell his product at hundred times or even 150 times its real value. It's like oil that is worth Rs 5, which he packages and then sells for Rs 150. And the customers, the electorate, are buying it.
