Sometimes I was a small actor
Sometimes I was a spectator
But always
I was a participant in Parliament
Either sitting on the Treasury Benches
or sitting in the opposition
 
 
 
She (my mother) was highly
politically sensitive and conscious
And naturally, because her husband, my father
was in politics from 1920 - long period.
And like any other housewife in those days
whose husbands are freedom fighters or political activists
their lives are divided between jail and outside jail
When outside jail, they didn't remain in the home
They used to do the other political activities
 
 
 
I was part of the government for 22 years as ministers
Starting from the date when I was appointed by Indira ji
in her council of Ministers in the early 70s
 
 
 
My career as a Parliamentarian
was no doubt mentored by Smt Indira Gandhi
Her steely determination
clarity of thought and decisive actions
made her a towering personality
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The first elections she provided leadership to Congress
Congress did not get more than 112
But subsequently she recognised
that Congress will have to adjust itself
itself with the other
political aspirant groups and leaders
to have some sort of coalition
 
 
 
 
 
It was
a genuine decision she came to
Whatever be her considerations in her inner mind
But she made it firm when she pronounced it
She did not budge from it
Therefore
her leadership has especially
played a significant role
in the contemporary history of the Congress
As far as my relationship is concerned, it is warm
In the initial years, naturally I did not know her
she did not know me, we never worked together
But from the Panchmarhi conclave onwards
it was warm and it continues until today
 
 
 
 
 
I have already stated many times
that I am quite satisfied with what I received
And I always believed
and this isn't the first time I am saying this
I have received more from the people of this country
than I have given to them
I am ever indebted to them
 
 
 
 
Samajwadi Party after half an hour
presented the support of
39 members
My simple arithmetic - 237 + 39 is 276
Even if I assume
the effective voting strength of the Lok Sabha
right at this moment is 541
It does not require big arithmetic
to calculate what would be the simple majority
But the Leader of Opposition thought
it's a very bright case to build up
that the govt has lost its majority right now
 
 
 
 
 
When the UPA was in power
the go-to man was Pranab Mukherjee
He may not have been the Prime Minister
but communication, interaction, engagement crisis management
was always Pranab Mukherjee’s forte
Why Sir? Why was it Pranab Mukherjee’s forte?
It is because the Prime Minister trusted me
He gave me some responsibilities
In the course of those responsibilities I had to do that
Moreover
at that point of time when Dr Manmohan Singh formed his government
I was the senior-most
I had long experiences
Before that I was minister for 14 years, before 2004.
I was in Parliament from 1969
Therefore as a Member of Parliament
Even in the Congress Working Committee,
which is the highest policy-making body
I was senior to all of them
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Of course, I feel satisfied, glad
and I'm particularly happy that those who committed
I mean the political parties
who don't belong to our party or our formation
Some of them extended their support to me
and they scrupulously adhered
to their commitment
and ensured that each and every member
of the electoral college belonging to their party
they voted for it
That normally doesn't happen but
I appreciate and consider it as a  great reward
for my long stay in public life
 
 
 
 
 
 
My years in Parliament
were further enriched
by the wisdom of P.V. Narasimha Rao
oration of Atal Bihari Vajpayee
cryptic one-liners
of Madhu Limaye and Dr. Nath Pai
wit and humour of Piloo Modi
poetic discourses of Hiren Mukherjee
razor sharp repartee of Indrajit Gupta,
calming presence of Dr. Manmohan Singh,
mature advice of L.K. Advani
and passionate support
of Sonia Gandhi on social legislations
 
 
 
I read not only once. What I like I read umpteen number of times
Even fiction if I like, I read it many times
When do you read?
Because you work 18 hours a day
My reading time is very disciplined, whenever I get time
You read
Whenever I get time, I read something
I cannot remain idle
Either I will read files or I will read papers or I will read books
I cannot remain idle
You don't watch TV?
No, hardly I see TV
 
 
 
Change is the only constant factor
And that change is not always positive
 
It may be negative, it may be positive
it may even be disruptive
But change is constant and change is continuing
 
 
 
 
There hasn't been a single meeting with the President where...
where he hasn't treated me like a father
I have to say from the bottom of my heart
He was like a father who looks after his family
He would tell me, see Modi ji
You have to rest for atleast half the day
Pranab da used to tell me
 
 
 
