'Why will Priya Dutt resign from the Congress?'

'Gurudas Kamat's resignation is very unfortunate. I think he should take back his resignation.'

Krishna Hegde, a former Congress MLA in Mumbai and a close confidante of former Congress MP Priya Dutt, speaks to Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com about his letter to the Congress 'high command,' his turf war with Mumbai Regional Congress Committee chairman Sanjay Nirupam and senior Congress leader Gurudas Kamat's resignation.

There are rumours about Priya Dutt resigning from the Congress.

Why will she resign?

There is speculation she is likely to join the Shiv Sena...

She has already given a clarification that she went to meet Uddhav Thackeray (the Shiv Sena executive president) regarding a photo exhibition in memory of her mother Shrimati Nargis Dutt. She wanted some photographs from Uddhav and he agreed to share them with her for this exhibition.

You have also written a letter to the Congress high command about blocking appointments of Mumbai block presidents... Are you also, like Gurudas Kamat, directing your ire against MRCC chief Sanjay Nirupam? Is this a concerted attack on the MRCC chief?

Why would it be?

Then what is your letter about?

In my letter I have asked for blocking the appointments of block presidents who were appointed...

Appointed by Sanjay Nirupam?

Yes... appointed (by Sanjay Nirupam) without consulting me at all. Even I have not heard about some of the names who are appointed as Mumbai Congress block presidents.

So, one does not know much about these people and from where they have come.

It is not just me, but several MLAs are disappointed by these appointments.

Disappointed with whom and for what?

With the block presidents list.

And who has appointed them?

Mr Nirupam has appointed them.

So, your letter is directed against Sanjay Nirupam, in that sense?

I have not directed any letter against anybody.

I have only said that the appointments of block presidents were not done in consultation with the party MLAs and MPs and since they have not been consulted these appointments should be revoked and these people's appointment should be held back.

So, who were consulted by Sanjay Nirupam before appointing these block presidents?

I was not consulted. A lot other MPs and MLAs were also not consulted.

And what is the procedure to appoint these block presidents?

Normally, the MRCC president never appoints the block presidents. That is the jurisdiction of the district president and block presidents to appoint other 'ward presidents', who are called block presidents.

It is for the first time in the history of the Mumbai Congress that the appointments (of block presidents) have come directly from the Mumbai Congress president.

Did you speak with Sanjay Nirupam about this issue?

Of course, I sent him two emails and a couple of letters which he has not responded to.

After these appointments too I sent him an email, but there was no response from him.

We have the elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation next year and the Congress party in Mumbai looks like it is in shambles.
Gurudas Kamat, a former MP and also an ex-MRCC chief, resigned on June 6.
How prepared is the Congress for the BMC elections?

I cannot comment on Mr Kamat's resignation. He is a senior leader. I cannot comment on his resignation or the reason for the same.

I can only comment on the welfare of the party. My letter has not said anything negative about anybody.

I have said that I have worked for the party for 14 years and we should have been taken into confidence before these appointments were made and our views should have been taken till which time the appointments of these block presidents should be kept on hold.

I want all senior leaders to be consulted. We should all go together for fighting the BMC elections next year.

Are you alone in asking for the revocation of the appointment of these block presidents or do you have support of other party MLAs and MPs?

There are at least seven, eight MLAs who are there (with me).

Have all of them raised objections to these appointments and spoken with the MRCC chief?

I am not doing this in consultation with anybody; I know what you are coming at...

I have not consulted anybody or I have not spoken with anybody about this. I have said what I had to say.

Isn't there infighting within the Mumbai Congress when the BMC elections are just a year away?

It depends upon the demarcation and delimitation of wards. First, there should be clear demarcation about which ward is OBC, general ward, reserved ward, and then there will be selection of able candidates and only after this selection can we talk about the results...

Did you speak with Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi about this issue?

I have written an email to honourable Rahulji and written a mail to the Congress president as well.

Would you not call this letter-war and Gurudas Kamat's resignation as infighting within the Mumbai Congress?
Aren't you helping the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) who has vowed to make Bharat Congress-mukt (free)?

Who is helping the BJP?

The infighting within the Mumbai Congress... You are not putting up a united front...

There is no infighting in the Mumbai Congress. I am just talking about this issue (the appointment of block presidents by Sanjay Nirupam) for the benefit of the party.

Will your letter strengthen the Congress party in the city?

There has to be some vibrancy in the party, views have to be exchanged.

No one is perfect. I may be wrong somewhere, Mr Nirupam could be wrong in some place, or some other leader may be wrong in some other place.

But every one has to consult each other and only then can you put up a strong front.

If you do not consult anyone, then how can you say there is a strong front?

As a Congressman who has spent 14 years in the party how do you look at Gurudas Kamat's resignation?

I think it is very unfortunate. He is a senior leader and I think he should take back his resignation.

Do you think his complaints will be looked into by the Congress 'high command'?

I am not the high command. How can I say anything?

I do not know what is in his mind and I haven't spoken to him after his resignation.

Do you wish, do you hope that will happen?

Obviously, I wish that any big leader should not resign even in Mumbai or anywhere else in the country.

IMAGE: Former Congress MLA Krishna Hegde with party president Sonia Gandhi.

Photograph: Kind courtesy, Krishna Hegde.