'Today's expediency can be transformed into tomorrow's base
for a permanent structure'

Since 1989, the Congress has consistently lost ground in the crucial states of UP and Bihar. What do you believe is the reason for the erosion in the Congress base? Can anything be done now? And in retrospect did you do enough before the election?

UP and Bihar are not easy to explain --- at least not for me. They voted against the Congress before 1989 also. My humble observation is that the Congress vote here was eroded by transfer -- into different parties with different social composition.

The Congress for some time remained as a respectable residue. But a comprehensive party cannot survive too long as a residue. It may be small in size at a given time, but its composition should still remain comprehensive. This could be termed as the widest connotation of secularism. The Congress, therefore, is the most secular party in the real sense.

But as pointed out above, its erosion has resulted in different socio-political boxes being formed, and given political labels. None of these is complete like the original Congress. Now a situation has been reached where no single box can bring power -- given the numbers game. Combinations of the separate boxes are therefore being attempted; in other words a centripetal process has started, for the sake of today's electoral expediency.

But today's expediency can be transformed into tomorrow's base for a permanent structure. Within a few elections, we have thus seen the intense dynamism of the socio-political process in UP.

Frankly, I feel fascinated and optimistic. In a rapid cycle of events such as this, neither we nor any other single party could do much; nevertheless, the Congress-BSP alliance, apart from its immediate purpose, is a first step in the long march towards the secular destination.

The Congress Working Committee has often been asked to consider issuing a call for all Congressmen and former Congressmen to come together. Without wishing in any way to pre-empt the CWC's decision, what would your own position on this issue be?

I am with the CWC, all the way.

Do you think that there is any argument in favour of the position that the same person should not be leader of the parliamentary party and Congress president?

There are arguments on both sides, as is well known.

Do you see yourself as leader of the Congress two years from now?

I see myself as a Congress activist as long as I wish to be.

Will you stand for election as Congress president at the next party election?

I shall answer this question properly at the appropriate time.

There have been reports that you have offered the post of working president to various individuals. Would you like to take this opportunity to deny these reports?

Having a working president or vice-president can be good idea.

For a man who seldom had his integrity questioned for most of his political career, it cannot be a pleasant experience to be constantly accused of corruption and cheating in a series of court cases. Of course, the substance of those cases is sub judice. But how does Narasimha Rao the man react to the charges of improper behaviour?

It is a new experience, though excruciating.

The remaining questions fall into two categories?

A) About my government ; and b) about my person.

About the government, I think it is for the people -- and, of course, journalists, commentators and intellectuals -- to comment, which they have done copiously. All I would say is, I am grateful.

The second category of personal questions would be more relevant when I finally call it a day and find myself in a reminiscent or atavistic frame of mind. As it is, I am still on the move -- and intend to be so. It is not fair to ask me to anticipate the possible answers to such 'terminal' questions. I hope my reluctance to answer these questions will be understood in the right spirit.

Of what achievements during your prime ministership are you proudest?

I am afraid a full term of governmental activity cannot be dissected into bits and pieces: It is an interrelated whole. It contains something one feels happy about and something one feels unhappy about. It is very difficult, in practice, to have the one without the other. Any such comments generally come from hindsight.

Do you have any regrets? Any unfinished agendas? Anything you wish you had done differently?

No regrets; an unfinished agenda is a permanent feature, it will be finished by others. It is futile to think of things I could have done differently unless I had been another person.