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The Rediff Interview/ Abani Roy

'Blackmailing is going on. Purchasing is going on'

Abani Roy, the Revolutionary Socialist Party MP, may be soft-spoken but the stand taken by him and his party on not supporting the Congress-led government at the Centre has sent the latter's leadership into a spin.

Five days after the RSP and Forward Bloc joined hands with the Congress and other parties to throw out the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, there has been no change in the stand taken by the two parties that they would not support a Congress government at the Centre.

In an exclusive interview with Onkar Singh, Roy reaffirms that his party would either support a third front government led by Jyoti Basu or face an election. "But we would like to ensure that the BJP does not remain in power till the election is held. Not even as a caretaker government," he says.

There are reports that your party leadership would prefer to go in for an election rather than support a Congress government in Delhi. Is that true?

No, that is not true, because this report has not reached us here in Delhi as yet. So far we have been maintaining the stand that we would not support a government led by Congress party or a minority government formed by the Congress party. We have said nothing about elections.

What is your problem with the Congress party?

The problem is well known to everybody. You know we have been fighting the Congress on all fronts, particularly in West Bengal, including the economic front. The Congress party is our arch-rival. How can we accept a Congress government? They cannot change globalisation. They cannot change marketing. Or privatisation.. Or the commitments they have made to World Trade Organisation. So they cannot give anything to the poor people. We have seen it in the past and would see it in future as well if they come back to power.

Your party has said it would support a Third Front government if Joyti Basu becomes prime minister. What was his reaction when you met him?

What he told us is meant for us only. It is for his party to decide whether they could allow him to become the prime minister or not. Since their party has not taken a decision in favour of Jyoti Babu becoming the prime minister, we are in no position to extend our support.

If you ask me my personal opinion, I would prefer him as the prime minister of the country provided the Third Front elects him as its leader. After a meeting of the leaders of various parties of the Third Front, this has become almost a dead issue. Yet, if the support for him is revived once again our party would be too happy to have him as the prime minister.

Don't you think the trouble with the Third Front is that there are too many leaders wanting to become the prime minister?

Yes, this is true but this can be sorted out. We have so many leaders in West Bengal but Jyoti Basu has been chief minister for almost two decades now. When we had the United Front government, there was unity among various parties which had joined hands to form the front. But this cannot be said to be true in the case of the BJP and its allies. Right from day one they have been having trouble either with Jayalalitha or Mamata or somebody else.

You showed unity in throwing out the BJP government but once you had achieved your target you have all got separated...

All the Left parties were of the same opinion, that the BJP government should go, and therefore we all voted against the motion of confidence. But there are differences over who should form the government. Since the two things are different, there is a difference of opinion on two issues.

Are you personally against Sonia Gandhi becoming prime minister?

No, this is not true. Who should be the prime minister is for the Congress party to decide. They have to decide who would be their leader and on that question we have nothing to say.

Since Basu has rejected the offer of prime ministership, do you think any other alternative is left before you?

I think we have very little choice now.

Don't you think your attitude of non-co-operation with each other is indirectly helping the BJP stay in power?

That is there. But it will also not help the Congress to manipulate the members of Parliament in their bid to come to power. The problem is that there are sharp differences between the parties that want to come to power at the Centre. There are differences between the BSP and SP. The same goes for the SP and Congress. That's why it is becoming difficult to form a government.

Are there blackmailers in politics?

It is very difficult to say who is a blackmailer and who is not. Blackmailing is going on. Purchasing is going on. We must try our best to stop this thing.

Don't you think it would be ideal for you to go in for an election with a helpful government at the Centre rather than going in for an election with a caretaker BJP government?

Of course it would be better that way. I am also of that opinion but the trouble is, members of Parliament are not ready to go in for an election at the moment because they were elected hardly one year ago. Even if the parties are prepared for elections, where are the funds to fight elections? I feel it would be much more better if some stable government comes to power after the elections rather than going in for coalition governments. At least the fence-sitters would not come back.

No government can be formed unless your party or Forward Bloc decides to go one way or the other.

Till day before yesterday you could say it was true. But now there are many more who want a share in power (not us of course). Mulayam Singh Yadav has said openly that he would not support a Congress government.

Would you change your stand to ensure the BJP does not come back to power?

We have just thrown the BJP out. We would do anything to make sure it does not come back to power. I hope some solution is found soon, whereby we don't have to support either the BJP or Congress.

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