Tariq Anwar quit the Congress in 1999 to join Sharad Pawar in founding the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Today he is the only representative of Bihar in the union council of ministers (he hails from Bihar, though currently he represents Maharashtra in Rajya Sabha). In an exclusive interview with Bhavdeep Kang, Anwar discusses the NCP-Congress ties, the Bihar scenario and the much-debated question of Pawar’s successor.

Will the NCP-Congress alliance continue in Bihar and elsewhere?
The alliance will remain in the Lok Sabha elections. This (2014) will be our third election together.
We do not have a state-level alliance in Bihar as such. We would like to work with the Congress, but it depends on what they want.
In Maharashtra, we have been together for 14 years — since 1999. The objective was to avoid a split in the secular vote. That’s why we compromised with the Congress. The alternative in Maharashtra is the BJP-Shiv Sena and we cannot ally with them on any account. The ideological differences run too deep.

How do you rate Nitish Kumar’s performance in Bihar?
The people of Bihar had high expectations from Nitish Kumar. In public mind, the 15 years of the Lalu Prasad regime are associated with negative development and a breakdown in law and order. A negative vote against Lalu brought Nitish to power. It was believed that he was progressive and would usher in a period of development. So expectations were high and since they have not been met, people are disappointed.
When the state was divided, industry went to Jharkhand, leaving Bihar with only agriculture. Now, Bihar’s agriculture has witnessed development; kaam hua hai (works have been accomplished). We cannot deny that there have been successes. But there has been no progress in the industrial sector. Electricity is the basic driver for both industry and agriculture, and this they (Nitish government) have not been able to provide. So all the sectors are handicapped. As for corruption, it is just as bad at the grassroots level. In fact, the rates have gone up five-fold. So people are upset. Slowly, we see this resentment building up and Nitish has had to face it, even in public meetings.

Is there an alternative to Nitish?
No political alternative has emerged so far. Lalu is not perceived as an alternative. And we are not in such a strong position. The social base of the Congress — the minorities and weaker sections — is no longer with it. The NCP does not have a strong base, but we are trying our level best to establish ourselves. My becoming a minister has made a difference. As I am the only representative of Bihar in the union council of ministers, people feel the state will benefit from my induction.

Do you think the BJP-JD(U) alliance will last?
Nitish Kumar has clearly said that if Narendra Modi is projected (as PM candidate), they will withdraw from the NDA and break off relations with the BJP. The time has now come for Nitish to make his move. The BJP, RSS and VHP have made it clear — there is no scope left for doubt that Modi is the candidate. So Nitish must decide.

How has your experience with the Congress been?
I wouldn’t say it has been that good. That is largely because the Congress does not maintain a proper relationship with its allies. The trust that should obtain between allies is missing. Being a big party, it should take smaller parties into confidence, but it has not done that.

Sharad Pawar has said he will not contest the next Lok Sabha election. How will this affect the NCP?
He has said that he will work for the party; he will not abandon the responsibility. As a minister he cannot give as much time to the party as he would like to.
He has been in power for many decades, at the state and in the centre. Now he wants to give an opportunity to others. But I don’t think that party workers will accept that. 
He did not want to contest (elections) even earlier but they (NCP workers) brought pressure to bear on him, saying that it would demoralise the rank and file if he abstained. I think there will be a similar pressure this time.

Who is Pawar’s heir?
Pawar-sahib does not think along those lines. He has made that clear many times. (His nephew) Ajit Pawar did not become deputy CM (of Maharashtra) until three others had held the position and he had developed a hold on the party and the demand for his elevation came from the party workers. As for (his daughter) Supriya Sule, Pawar-sahib has made it abundantly clear that she will have to establish her hold on the grassroots and build up her own base; he will not impose her on the party.

Rahul Gandhi is now the Congress vice-president and the party’s election in-charge. How do you view the development?
It is an internal matter of the Congress. It is not our headache.

The image of the UPA has suffered due to multiple scams. As an ally, how do you look at it?
The UPA’s public image has been damaged and the government will have to repair it. Before the elections, the government has to make it clear that it is against corruption and anyone involved in a scam will not be spared. Having said that, corruption is not likely to be a big issue (in the next elections). After all, members of the opposition such as Nitin Gadkari and the former Karnataka CM (Yeddyurappa) have been named in scams. So I don’t think they can make it an issue.

Sharad Pawar recently said he saw no difference between the UPA and the NDA. Do you agree? 
He was speaking in terms of the economic policies of the UPA and NDA, and specifically the foreign policy. Foreign policy in particular is carried forward from one government to the next.

You quit the Congress 14 years ago. Any regrets?
It was a matter of conscience. The fact is, I did not quit the Congress — it was the Congress which quit me!
We had made a suggestion at that point, given the political situation, that Sonia Gandhi should not be projected as the prime ministerial candidate and that decision should be taken after the elections. At the time, the BJP was whipping up sentiments on the foreign origin issue and would have encashed it. But we were deemed anti-Sonia and removed from the party.
Now, we could have joined another party. But we chose to float a new one, based on the Congress ideology. And we have survived. What usually happens is that people who have left or been thrown out of the Congress eventually find their way back. Or they suffer a loss of stature. But we have survived and the credit for this goes entirely to Sharad Pawar.