The Rediff Interview/Pramod Tewari

'Any struggle against the communal BJP is welcome'

T he Uttar Pradesh Congress unit is still reeling under shock. Twentytwo of its legislators crossed over to the Bharatiya Janata Party during the recent trial of strength faced by the Kalyan Singh government.

And came another blot from the blue for state legislature party leader Pramod Tewari. He was summoned by party chief Sitaram Kesri, demanding an explanation on the fiasco which virtually made the party a non-entity in the state politics.

After his meeting with Kesri, Tewari addressed the media in Delhi. With the journalists firing ''uncomfortable'' questions, the UP leader hastily ended the media conference, only to vent his views in an exclusive interview with Tara Shankar Sahay. Excerpts:

You have just told the media how the BJP hijacked the proceedings in the UP state assembly to rustle up a fraudulent majority. But media reports said that you started the violence by slapping a security staff. Please comment.

The BJP is spreading a lot of canards and the press in Delhi is lapping it up.

You have not answered the question.

I have given my reply.

Are you suggesting that the media reports are false?

I am just saying that the truth has not been portrayed in the media.

Then what is the truth?

The country knows that the BJP used unconstitutional methods coupled with violence to attain majority in the state.

Why don't you drag the BJP to court if you think the Kalyan Singh government secured majority by employing unconstitutional means?

That is something which we are contemplating.

If Naresh Aggarwal was the Trojan Horse in the UP Congress unit, why did you not register a complaint against him with the party high command?

I have repeatedly warned the party leadership about Naresh Aggarwal.

Could you elaborate?

I cannot possibly give you the details.

Have you lost your party president's confidence?

I don't think so. But you should find out.

What transpired between you and Kesri in your meeting?

(angrily) The media need not know everything that we discuss.

The Congress and the BSP in UP have been the worst-affected. Would these two parties join hands against the BJP?

That will be decided by the leadership, but I think that any struggle against the unconstitutional and communal BJP would be a welcome step.

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