Visakhapatnam: Tharoor assures Congress will fulfill unrealised aspirations of AP

Visakhapatnam : It is extremely important for Congress to put an end to the misrule of the BJP government the nation has suffered for a decade. And if the means of doing that would include accommodating parties who may not be supporting today but would do so tomorrow, the Congress does not want to close any doors in that area, asserts MP from Thiruvananthapuram and Congress Working Committee member Shashi Tharoor.

In an interview with The Hans India, Shashi Tharoor asks what have the regional parties done so far for Andhra Pradesh. “Both the parties failed to deliver on all key issues and their ‘surrendering’ to the BJP has brought no benefits to the people of Andhra Pradesh either. If you give us a chance, we will keep the guarantee and take a few success seeds of Andhra Pradesh to strengthen our majority in Delhi, form a government at the Centre and deliver desired results,” reasons the star campaigner of the grand old party in his maiden trip to Visakhapatnam.

Laying emphasis that the Congress Party is committed towards stopping Visakhapatnam Steel Plant from getting privatised, according Special Category Status for five years to the state as assured in the AP Reorganisation Act, Shashi Tharoor says that Polavaram project too will be well-funded.

When asked whether the Congress is undergoing a serious leadership crisis, Shashi Tharoor quickly adds that there is no dearth of experienced leadership in the party.

“I think Y S Sharmila has taken the legacy of her illustrious father and is certain to add to the Congress Party’s appeal. Secondly, we do have some good senior leaders who have re-entered the fray, summing up the national party’s appeal with their past experiences. If voters could think a little bit of what they have gained from the two regional parties (YSRCP and TDP) thus far, there have not been enough benefits for them to recollect. But if the Congress is given a chance, it would fulfill the guarantees assured,” he reiterates, adding that the emphasis placed by the voters was on the two regional parties in the last couple of elections. Therefore, there is a perception that the fight has essentially been between them (TDP vs YSRCP).

Defining the relation between the NDA and YSRCP in 2014 and 2024, Shashi Tharoor terms it as quite ‘mysterious’ and ‘peculiar’.

“On one hand, the YSRCP claims that it’s not BJP’s ally. But on the other hand, they have obliged the Central government on every issue and the YSRCP has given unconditional support to the Centre. Now, the BJP has allied with the YSRCP’s rival party (TDP), who had themselves tried to pass a motion of no confidence against the BJP. So, who has confidence in whom and for what remains a big mystery to us,” maintains Shashi Tharoor.

Agreeing that unlike Telangana, there was a stiff resistance from the people for the AP bifurcation, Shashi Tharoor says, “Governance’ is often about making difficult choices. However, what has happened, has happened and we now have to move forward in a positive spirit. Even in the case of Andhra Pradesh, like the people of Telangana have voted Congress back to power, one day, the people of AP too will bring us back to power.”

Although, the Congress is fighting against all the other parties, including the YSRCP, TDP, BJP, at the moment, Shashi Tharoor shares, “However, we have not closed any doors to usher any of them into our fold in future. In every country and state, the post elections scenario is a different story altogether.”

After campaigning in eight states, the star campaigner says, “Andhra Pradesh is an important state for the Indian National Congress. We have not given up on AP and we do hope that the state is going to support us to help fulfill its many unrealised aspirations.”