Former Union minister Beni Prasad Verma, known for his frank statements, has waged an acrimonious battle against his former friend-turned-foe Mulayam Singh Yadav and has even succeeded in creating a Yadav-Kurmi divide in the state’s OBC votebank. In a candid interview to Amita Verma, he talks about the unending attacks on Rahul Gandhi. Excerpts from the interview.
In the past few days there have been speculations that you are planning to return to the Samajwadi Party. Is there any truth in this?
I burnt all my bridges when I walked out of the Samajwadi Party and joined the Congress. My differences with Mulayam Singh Yadav are irreconcilable and there is absolutely no question of my ever going back to the SP.
Do you see any future left for the Congress in Uttar Pradesh after the recent poll debacle?
In fact, I see a bright future for the Congress. The Bharatiya Janata Party may have won in Uttar Pradesh, but it will not be able to sustain the mood of the people who have very high expectations from the Modi government. The BJP has sold a dream which cannot be fulfilled.
Besides, Muslims are no longer averse to the Congress. They are disillusioned with the SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party and will return to the Congress.
Rahul Gandhi’s leadership has been under attack from within the Congress. What do you have to say on this?
I believe that there is a caucus within the Congress which wants to oust the Gandhi family. In 2009, Congress won 22 seats in Uttar Pradesh and Mr Gandhi got the credit for it. Obviously, the caucus did not like this and stepped up the campaign against him.
They botched up in ticket distribution in 2012 and made sure that the Congress did not fare well. They started the issue of Muslim reservation and irked the OBCs who felt that their share was being snatched away.
Who are the leaders in this caucus?
Everyone knows who they are. Let us not take any names.
If you have been warning Mr Gandhi about the people in the party, why hasn’t he taken any action?
I told Mr Gandhi everything I knew. He agreed to my point of view but he is a decent man — not the “dabang” sort, not the kind to take harsh action.
Do you think the Congress can reinvent itself, especially in Uttar Pradesh?
Why not? It is a party with a history and the only need is to reconnect with the youth. We need to be more forceful in our approach and not rely on anyone else. Humko damdari se aage badhna hai.
What role do you see for yourself in the Congress?
I have been given dignity and respect in the party and there is nothing more I want. I will never ask for anything for myself and will do whatever is expected of me.
Lastly, your take on the Akhilesh Yadav government.
I have never said a word against Akhilesh Yadav but I do find it weird that when the state should be working out an action plan to deal with drought, power crisis and the law and order situation, the chief minister is holidaying abroad and watching the Fifa World Cup final. In this government, for the first time, I have heard that legislators are taking commission on projects in their constituency. The Samajwadis may not realise this but they should beware the BJP’s gameplan in the coming days — they are on the BJP target.
