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The A R Antulay Chat

Manohar Patwa (Wed Apr 16 19:47:58 1997 IST):

Mr Antulay: Do you think Kesri committed a grave mistake by withdrawing support to the UF government? What is the "old man's" action for the party in future?

Welcome to the Rediff Chat, Mr Antulay. It is good of you to spare some time from your schedule to tell our audience why you want Mr Kesri to resign.

EVERYONE: Well, my hearty greetings to all of you. I only hope that this brief session which is invisible but audible will be of immense interest to all of us. And of some education, if not of intellectual input. Now, I am ready for your questions.

Hullo, Antulaysaab. I was shocked to read that you want Sharad Pawar to lead the Congress party. Have you forgotten everything he did to you, especially in September 1981?

Mr Antulay, how do you rate Moopanar as prime minister material?

Mr Antulay: Don't you it is time for young leaders to capture the 111-year old Congress party rather than it rests with the 70-plus and 80-plus leaders?

I read your interview on Rediff last night and thank you for speaking your mind. I was shocked though to read that you have been deprived of high office only because you are a Muslim. I am shocked. I never thought the Congress party would be so communal.

Kesri was wrong .. Thanks for having the courage to say it ..

How can we have as prime minister someone who has never opened his mouth in Parliament? Who has never been a leader? Mr Moopanar, I know, you know well. Please give us your assessment of what kind of PM he will make.

Nikhil: Well, the precise reason which prompted Kesriji to ask P V Narasimha Raoji to resign holds good in the mind of many who may not just speak up. The reason being that P V Narasimha Rao failed to deliver goods to the expectations of Kesriji, of course when the latter became president of the Congress and not earlier to that. In any case Kesriji has badly bungled since the 30th of the last month in giving a letter to the Rashtrapatiji, withdrawing support to the UF government and then to stake his claim on behalf of the Congress party to form the government.

I believe post election alliances should not be recognised. Only pre-election ones should. I belive the former is a violation of the peoples mandate and encourages power brokering. Your comments

Mr Antulay: Dont' you think the Congress' sudden decision to pull down Deve Gowda government has only helped the BJP to become more popular? The people have lost faith in the Congress. BJP had just 2 seats in 1981. But today it has 161 seats. And in the next elections the BJP could grab more than 200 seats. Don't you think BJP's spectacular rise has been at the cost of the weak and corrupt leadership of the Congress party?

Manohar Patwa: I do honestly believe that it was a mistake on the part of Kesriji. Had I not believed so, I wouldn't have used the word bungle which I did.

But Mr Antulay, Mr Kesri has won! He has got the UF to cxhange its leader, and he may also now demand a place in the govt. So where does that leave you?

Mr Antulay why is that the Congress broke up after the fall of the UF government saying that they thought that Kesri's move was unjust. Were the Congress party members blind during the vote of confidence????

Mr Antulay is it true that you actually fell on Sharad Pawar's feet?

Mr Antulay: What is your opinion on the charges laid by Mr Kesri on Mr.Gowda

We need to have a Prime Minister who is not a politician, one who can make tough choices without worrying about vote banks , Our country needs that .. Mr. Antulay any comments and even suggestions on who that should be ..

It seems you wanted to vote according to conscience in the recent parliament session. So what happened? Why did you vote against the Gowda government?

LL JAMES: Well, I don't think that in a democratic polity like ours, one should carry his/her personal differences to the point of they being detrimental to the interests of first the country and then to the party. Whatever might have --- and I don't deny -- happened between Sharad Pawar and me, I have sunk the differences in the larger interests of the country and the party.

Mr Antulay it was so nice of you to take some time out for the common people:-) Mr Antulay what do you think will be the future of India now after all you ploitical parties hav runined our economy our image and the morale of the people completely BECAUSE OF YOUR THIRST FOR POWER. please do answer sir:-) thanks.

What are the chance for the ouster of Kesri since he bungled in withdrawing support to the UF Govt?

Did the senior congress leaders know that Kesri had planned to pull the rug from under Deve Gowda's feet? What does the congress plan to do in this regard?

I always wondered abot this .. The UF always expects the Congress to support them yet when the Congress expects the UF'ssupport the Congress becomes an untouchable. If both forces claim to root out communal forces what is this double standard ? Your comment

Anoop Verma: I very much do, it could not have been better put. I full associate with your sentiments. I believe Shri Pawar is younger than me by at least 10-12 years. So he fills the bill. And I hope you agree with me.

Mr Antulay why is that the Congress broke up after the fall of the UF government saying that they thought that Kesri's move was unjust. Were the Congress party members blind during the vote of confidence????

This sums it all up ..

What do you think of the future for PV Narasimha Rao? Do you believe he can make a come back?

You were close to Mr Deve Gowda, were you not? He mentioned you by name in his speech. Was that why you took Mr Kesri's whip so badly? Why did you vote according to your conscience? Was it personal or political?

Who is the best person in NF to become PM.

Eat your heart out, Mr Antulay. Shri Kesri has gambled and won. He has won the throne, so will he send you to the gallows? Weere you set up by Mr Pawar?

Lets have a deal. You propose my name and I will propose yours!