Exclusive interview: For Congress, it is reform or perish, says Milind Deora

The Congress leader admitted that the party’s Mumbai unit was confused over criticising Shiv Sena for its administration in the BMC when it was a part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi.

Mumbai: Senior Congress leader and former union minister Milind Deora has said that the presidential election in the party is an opportunity to reinvent itself, introspect and identify the problems to resolve them. Speaking exclusively to Hindustan Times’ Surendra P Gangan, he said, “The writing on the wall is clear – reform or perish.” The Congress leader admitted that the party’s Mumbai unit was confused over criticising Shiv Sena for its administration in the BMC when it was a part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Edited excerpts from the interview:

Congress leader Milind Deora (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

Many dissident voices have come up in Congress, especially in the run-up to the presidential election. How do you look at it?

More people contesting for the post of Congress president is a welcome step and a healthy trend as I believe the party should move in the direction of an open, democratic and transparent process. It is the optimal way for all to put forth ideas and viewpoints that need to be factored in. The leaders who have alternate viewpoints must use this opportunity to express themselves electorally.

Would you pursue Rahul Gandhi to contest? Who else is expected to file a nomination?

Regardless of who becomes President, I see it as a crucial opportunity for Congress to reinvent itself, to introspect with brutal honesty and to identify the problems within the party and resolve them. The writing is on the wall — reform or perish. Despite losing a lot of leaders, I still believe that Congress has no dearth of talent at a national and regional level. This (the presidential election) is the opportunity to truly empower and mobilise those leaders. If we do not seize the opportunity now, going forward, it will be much harder to fix the problems we are dealing with now.

Do you think the issues raised by the G-23 group should have been addressed and the rebellion in the party could have been averted?

I don’t want to comment on the issues raised by the G-23, but everyone who is in Congress and chose not to defect wants the best for the party and India.

What do you think should be the Congress strategy to counter BJP in the 2022 Lok Sabha polls?

Politics and elections are about a story and a narrative and it is critical that we use this election process to come up with a game-changing narrative.

We are barely 20 months away from the LS polls. Do you think Congress has enough time to put up a strong fight against the BJP?

Absolutely. Ahead of the 2014-LS polls, the BJP reinvented its campaign and narrative just one-and-a-half years before the election. Until then, leaders in waiting had a very different appeal as compared to Narendra Modi. Even in the 2017 US presidential polls, Donald Trump emerged out of nowhere. The change in politics is very rapid and 20 months is a long enough runway to plan an effective election strategy.

What is your position in the party currently? Some say you are inactive, while detractors within the party say you are leaning towards the BJP.

I have been recently appointed observer for crucial Gujarat assembly polls. I also have an important responsibility towards the party in Mumbai. I have been responsible for 3.20 lakh voters who voted for me and have been working for them tirelessly during Covid and otherwise, regardless of whether or not I hold public office. I believe in constructive politics rather than indulging in personal attacks. It is very easy to make personal attacks on each other but difficult to cut across an aisle and get something positive done for the county together.

Rumours routinely surface that you may join the BJP. Your thoughts?

I have been hearing these rumours for years. There should be an expiry date to such rumours as there is for medicine. The minute Congress and the leadership stop valuing my competence and contribution, I will call it quits, but until then, there is no question of defecting.

Why has Congress failed to emerge as a strong alternative in the Mumbai civic body?

Congress workers and leaders in Maharashtra were in a confused state of mind after the MVA coalition was constituted. We have been fighting against Shiv Sena and the irregularities in the BMC for 25 years. There was a lack of clarity on what Congress’s stand vis-à-vis Shiv Sena should be, especially when it comes to their administration of BMC. As a result, Congressmen were very careful while criticising Sena in BMC. But now our line is clear. We will keep attacking the corruption and irregularities in BMC.

So, will Congress attack Sena in the BMC elections?

Regardless of which party is ruling the BMC, there should be reforms. The mayor needs to be elected directly by the voters like they are elected in other international cities like New York and London. It will help in reducing corruption in the country’s richest body. Today, nobody in Mumbai knows who the city’s Mayor is.

Do you think the party has the space in Mumbai in the BMC polls?

The massive division of votes between BJP, Sena, Eknath Shinde-led faction and MNS is an opportunity for us. But to occupy the space, we should not shy away from attacking the irregularities and corruption in the BMC.