BackGST should go ahead as quickly as possible: Manpreet Singh Badal
Badal speaks about his decision to join the Congress, the implications of a three-cornered contest between the SAD-BJP alliance, AAP and the Congress
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New Delhi: Manpreet Singh Badal, who merged his People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) with the Congress last week ahead of the state assembly elections next year, supports the goods and services tax (GST), a legislation that has been blocked by the national party.
An estranged nephew of Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, Manpreet Badal served as finance minister of Punjab until he was removed from the post and subsequently expelled from the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) over policy differences with the leadership.
He formed the PPP in 2011.
In an interview, he spoke about his decision to join the Congress, the implications of a three-cornered contest between the SAD-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress.
Edited excerpts:
What prompted you to merge the PPP with the Congress and, in a way, give up your own identity?
If you look at the agenda of our party (PPP), we were almost like the predecessors of the AAP, when we talked about cutting down on VIP culture, transparency in governance and doing what is right. We needed a bigger platform to carry out these ideas. So, in the past six months, we have had three meetings with Rahul Gandhi. We have an 11-point agenda, which I told him is the blueprint of Punjab, and this what needs to be looked into—whether it is the nexus between police and politicians, whether it is the kind of investments Punjab should have other than real estate and, of course, Punjab’s debt and finances.
He (Gandhi) said we are going to adopt it. Once I had this assurance, I was very happy. The Congress party has that maturity in leadership. This is a party which can take big decisions and big risks.
I could not see the AAP taking those risks. I think they would be veering into populism, whereas Punjab needs a sober kind of leadership which can bring it out of the mess it is in.
Why did you choose a merger rather an alliance?
We were short of two things in running the party—one was money, and another was the management talent to run this party. We thought there are better managers in the Congress and the money, too.
For small parties to be funded, it is extremely difficult. If the whole agenda gets adopted, I don’t think we should stand on ego and say “no, we will have our own identity". We had fought the local body and Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the Congress and we were familiar with their leadership at the ground level.
The feedback we were getting was, don’t stand on the sidelines, become a part of the mainstream.
How much of a factor is the AAP in the Punjab elections?
I feel we have had detailed conversations, even from the time when Yogendra Yadav was with AAP. As far as you see the ideology and how the movement started, whether it was anti-corruption, VIP culture, etc., we were two or three years ahead of even AAP and the Anna Hazare movement which was started then. There is a rag-tag army and specially very young people, who support AAP; but there was no one really I could talk to and discuss these issues threadbare and go forward.
Will you call the next elections a three-cornered contest?
It could become a three-cornered contest. In case it becomes a three-cornered contest, the incumbency is with the Akali Dal and BJP; so it’s their vote bank which will (shrink)... The Congress vote bank will not shrink and, eventually, Congress may be a beneficiary of a three-cornered contest. Otherwise, Akali’s war-chest is so full with money that in a direct contest, it could have been tough going for even the Congress despite the huge anti-incumbency.
You had an option to join either the Congress or the AAP. How did you decide?
For the AAP, Punjab is like a chess game and we are all pawns in the bigger picture. I did not know whether they will be able to administer the right medicine for this patient. Or will it just become a test case.
Also, there was a certain kind of arrogance when we spoke to the AAP leadership. “We know everything and we are right" (was their attitude).
Whereas Rahul Gandhi is extremely decent. He is very kind, very courteous and his manners are impeccable, even though we are such a small political party.
Last time, the PPP was responsible for the defeat of the Congress. A large chunk of anti-SAD votes came to the PPP. What is the strategy for the party to ensure that the anti-government votes come to the Congress and not go to the AAP?
I don’t know what the strategy will be...but it will just be to hit the road and get the Congress agenda in front of the people. Eventually, it is up to the people to decide. But what Captain Amarinder Singh (Punjab Congress leader) has also said is that they are trying to get both the BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) and the Left parties on board in an election alliance.
It has been a decade of the SAD government in Punjab. What do you think has gone wrong both politically and socially?
I think the SAD has a very narrow approach to politics; it just fights from one election to another. As a result, the policies of SAD do not address the core issues, which are of course investing in education and health. All they are interested in is (the promises of) free power, free dal, free atta.
They have started a free pilgrimage programme from Punjab to all over India and they are going to spend something like ₹ 300 crore on it. Building memorials for ₹ 100 crore each. I am not saying this should not be done, but you have to prioritize. Punjab has a shortage of 32,000 schoolteachers and for a small state like Punjab, if you were to employ them, it would cost you ₹ 300 crore.
So, look at your priorities. You are sending old people on pilgrimages but you cannot employ teachers.
The ruling party is collecting a lot of money and every election it is spending ₹ 1,000-1,500 crore—whether it’s liquor or muscle or cash for votes. There has been a lot of corruption and also plundering of state resources.
Whether it is corruption or drugs, this government is wearing short-term blinkers. At the PPP, we are not even talking about finances, we are talking about pride, Punjabi pride.
You have been the finance minister of Punjab. What are your views on GST and what do you think about the ongoing tussle over clearing the legislation?
GST is in the national interest. It must take place. We have done an exercise and Punjab will benefit immensely from GST because we are a consuming state.
All the remittances which come in every year, we cannot capture in Punjab’s finances but the money is coming in. Motorcycles are being sold, washing machines are being sold; so, obviously, money is coming from somewhere. GST is something we should go ahead with as quickly as possible.
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