Press Briefing Monday, 14th Sep 2009

Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi addressed the media today.

Dr. Abhishek Singhvi said that the Congress party and the UPA, wherever applicable, is gearing up for the elections. As you know, each of the three States of Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh, if I may say, are incumbent States in one sense or the other. Dr. Singhvi said that the Congress party has shown more than any other party in the recent past at every level Central and State, that incumbency can be a virtue in itself. Pro-incumbency is directly proportional to good governance. The Congress party has shown it time and again at State level, at Lok Sabha elections in state after State in the recent past and earlier as well from Haryana to Delhi to Tamil Nadu to Andhra. I can keep on multiplying and, therefore, we go into these elections confident, sure, strong and vigorous but not in any manner complacent and not in any manner taking any relevant issue for granted.

Dr. Singhvi said that in Maharashtra we have given governance and good governance at various levels - whether at the State election level earlier or at the Parliamentary elections level earlier. Maharashtra has the distinction of retaining its per capita income much higher than the national per capita income. Maharashtra has seen an extremely successful implementation of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, mid- day meal arrangements, Aanganwadi centres - almost 64,000 odd centres like that. The Rural electrification has been a remarkable successful story touching almost 100%. There are many tasks which require to be done many miles remaining to be walked but we know that the choice before the people of Maharashtra is a stark one. There is a choice between the parameters of good governance and on the other side of the parties which live in the middle and stone age. Whether it is Shiv Sena or the BJP, they talk in the idiom and the language which young India does not understand. They talk of non-historical non- issues. They talk of petty politics, petty so-called issues which are completely out of sink with the aspirations of contemporary India. They propagate a communal divisive agenda and therefore, the choice is clear and stark.

Dr. Singhvi further said that Haryana has been a remarkable story for the Congress party. It retained its position in India as the second highest per capita income State and not only in the recent past but on several earlier paradigms of good governance through Congress governments have been shown in Haryana. It has become now the third largest software exporting State. 50 functional comprehensive SEZs have become engines of growth and the norms of satisfying the land owners at the lowest level have been fully followed. It is a proud State over 91% above poverty line. Again you have these elements of congress good governance and what you have on the other side of the bench - you have squabbling, divided, petty fogging parties, none of which can even claim the position of an opposition party at State. You have parties like INLD or the BJP which cannot form coalition even. You have Janhit Party which is struggling to find its identity. So you have petty narrow divided walls of quabbling. Again the choice for Haryana voters is stark and clear.

Dr. Singhvi said that in Arunachal Pradesh received one of the largest packages after independence for providing infrastructure to strengthen and augment the border areas had been presented by the Prime Minister, Congress Government, and UPA. It is the biggest package and it is the package which the State comprehensively taking into account the special status of Arunachal Pradesh a very special geographical location a very special sensitivity and against that you have a virtually non existent BJP. Earlier, it had played opportunistic defection politics in Arunachal Pradesh. Now their sole MP has left their party from the State. So we have no doubt in concluding that the special USP of Congress is what will get it back into power with enhanced figures and better performance in each of these three states and undoubtedly later in the year in Jharkhand and those special unique feature include first and foremost the approach of inclusive governance which none of the main opposition parties either in Maharashtra or Haryana can even claim to provide. Growth oriented governance and non-divisive approach is the third USP. The raising of "Roti Kapda and Makan" issues and not to say that these issues satisfy but the striving is towards those nitty gritty issues. The innovative, never done before, programmes whether it is NREGA or Bharat Nirman and most importantly the availability of the talented and experienced teams of Congress men from those States, of those States or in those States whether from the Centre or from the State which give Congress party a unique USP.

In reply to a question over the results of the bye-elections, Dr. Singhvi said that we know well by now that one set of bye election results should not be treated as conclusive or indicative in any manner. We have had in Gujarat itself in the very recent past - first in the Parliamentary level and at the Municipal level radically different results. We have had not so encouraging results. But let me tell you a set of bye election is certainly not indicative of any trend or direction. Let me repeat that the time of the Modi Government is fast running out. Let me repeat that the events there are coming full circle and soon in the not too distant future we will find that the BJP and Modi will be out of Gujarat. The fact that some State assembly election results in the bye-elections are like this is absolutely no indication.

To a question that the achievements in Maharashtra are those of the NCP Ministers and not the Congress, Dr. Sinvhgi said that there is a coalition Government in Maharashtra and it is the collective achievement of the parties partnering the coalition. All efforts will be taken for the welfare of the people of Mahrashtra.

On the question of respecting the sentiments of Andhra Pradesh assembly MLAs for announcing the date for CLP meeting, Dr. Singhvi said that the meeting of the CLP of Andhra Pradesh MLAs will be convened at the appropriate time and all out efforts will be made by the Congress party to provide the people of Andhra a clean administration and good governance government as was done earlier also.

On the question over making mockery of the Congress President traveling in 'economy class' by the BJP, Dr. Singhvi said that the Opposition is known for their chal, charitra and chehra and said that you cannot expect anything else from them. Dr. Singhvi said that traveling in economy class by the Congress President will definitely send a strong message to all the Congressmen all over India as far as austerity measures are concerned.

On the question of Shri Rahul Gandhi's travels, Dr. Singhvi said that it is remarkable that both the leaders - Shri Rahul Gandhi as well as Smt. Sonia Gandhi-have time and again set the examples of simplicity. They are the believers of simplicity and are source of inspiration for all other congress men in the country to follow in their foot steps.

Tom Vadakkan

Secretary, AICC