In the season of poll predictions showing a drubbing for Congress, Petroleum Minister M. Veerappa Moily has made his own optimistic forecast.
“There are elections in five states. I feel, out of five, at least three Congress will win,” he predicted in a chat with Business Line inside the Delhi Metro here on Wednesday.
A rather calm Moily said, “Every time elections happen, political parties come up with issues. But, there are judges – the electorate.”
Travelling without any paraphernalia (only his additional private secretary and one peon), Moily used his Delhi Metro smart card and went through the security check like a daily passenger.
Moily, who uses the Metro every Wednesday as part of his energy conservation drive, said significant decisions had been taken in the UPA-II regime, including some significant ones by his Ministry.
On the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the Minister, who is part of the Group of Ministers which is deciding the fate of bifurcation, expressed confidence that all issues would be resolved in this regime.
Asked about BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Moily said, “Modi wants to distort judgment by sponsored surveys. There are people to judge if these are doctored or genuine. We have a more credible story to tell than the created stories of Modi and others.”
A suitably provoked Moily added, “Now it is exposed that Modi does not know basic things…When he went to Bihar, he made up a story that Biharis resisted Alexander, which is not correct. Then he said Pandit Nehru did not attend the funeral of Sardar Patel, it was a totally false story as there are photographs to show the truth. He is merely constructing stories.”
When asked for his views on Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Adami Party, which is a serious contender in Delhi, Moily said, “Arvind Kejriwal is talking many times without any sense. He should realise that people will judge the credibility and honesty of his talk.”
Accusing Kejriwal of ‘using’ veteran activist Anna Hazare, he said “The issue of corruption was raised by Hazare…Kejriwal has totally misused it and people realise it. He has done greatest dis-service to the people and the tempo created with regard to the anti-corruption movement started by Hazare has been betrayed.”