Tsunami warning: Digvijay to speak on behalf of both Congress & BJP

An exclusive interview with Congress’s warrior with words; imagined soon after LK Advani resigned

shantanu

Shantanu Datta | June 10, 2013



With all Congressmen and women waking up to realise the real value of LK Advani ever since he is said to have said that Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s humility reminds him of Vajpayee, and is said to have been quiet on Narendra Modi’s humility, Digvijay Singh is the man of the moment for all reporters on the BJP beat.

As of Monday afternoon, within an hour or two after Advani resigned from three key symbolic party posts, reporters were making frantic calls to the senior Congress leader and Chouhan’s predecessor as MP CM by a decade or two. Reason: miffed at constant badgering for his “reactions” to Advani’s resignation, one BJP spokesperson is said to have ticked off the whole bunch, telling them, “If you want a quote on Advani, go to Digvijay Singh. He is finding and minding Advani’s conscience these days.”

While the forever-affable Singh was unavailable to most sections and sub-sections of the media, we managed to corner him on a street corner and dish out four questions to the senior Congress leader. Read the edited excerpts with a pinch of salt.

What is your reaction to LK Advani’s resignation?
(Laughs loudly) Sir Issac Newton cannot be wrong. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. So, since Advani ji has resigned because Modi has been promoted, I expect Modi to resign because Advani ji has been demoted. Advani ji deserves at least this much respect in the party he built so assiduously over the decades. I feel really bad for Advani ji.  

Will you try and convince Advani to take back his resignation letter?
My first name is not Rajnath. That’s for the other Singh to answer. On my part, I will see what can be done to get some funds to start a social media cell to shore up support for Advani. These geeks will forward, share and retweet everything I say on Advani, Modi, resignation, stagnation, frustration, superannuation, expectation, tension, stomach ailments, upset tummies and Pudin Hara – or any of the SEO-loving key search words you put in your last three reports on Modi, Advani, BJP, tension, frustration, resignation....

... Do you think Modi should resign over Advani’s resignation?
I have already cited Newton on this subject. 

Who do you think should be the BJP’s poll panel chief?
That is for my party president to decide. As you know we don't decide anything in our party and that is why we are united. Now if you excuse me, I have to meet the doctor who advised Advani-ji to go on a three-day medical leave. I have to find out the antidote for upset stomach for people in my party, just in case the serving prime minister is declared as the man deserving to be third-time lucky

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