Former Delhi chief minister and Kerala governor Sheila Dikshit, speaking for the first time after her gubernatorial resignation, tells Kavita Chowdhury there is a need for Parliament to codify rules for governors if they are required to demit office with a change in the central government. Edited excerpts
How was your brief stint as the governor of Kerala, especially since you had moved on from the hurly-burly of active politics as chief minister to a laid-back life in a Raj Bhavan?
It was a stint of exactly six months, from March to August. Kerala is a beautiful and welcoming state. I enjoyed it there. In fact, I needed the calm, both physically and mentally, after 15 years of governance and a year of organisation building before that, as Pradesh Congress Committee chief. It was a welcome break after 16 years of hard work.
Did the manner in which you had to resign as Kerala governor leave a bitter taste in your mouth?
I felt sad. I had gone there because I had been asked by the party and appointed by the President. The fact that my term could not last for five years did not disappoint me personally. I am not talking about individuals here, but the constitutional status and dignity attached to the the post of governor.
Despite the Supreme Court ruling, the practice that has evolved is you change governors with a change of government. I think Parliament needs to take a look at this again.
When everything else is codified -- the tenure of appointment of the governor, the immunity to the post and so on -- this should be spelt out too, so that there is some dignity to the office of governors and they know they must automatically resign when the government changes. What hurt most was the denigration of the post of governor. I feel it's humiliation to a position that is constitutional.
Many have been of the view that as a United Progressive Alliance government appointee and a three-time Congress chief minister, you should have resigned as governor on your own when there was a regime change.
I had been appointed just six months ago and constitutionally appointed for five years. I was not expected to step down. But the Bharatiya Janata Party government has been claiming that changing governors was a practice during the Congress regime too. However, the precedence is being applied selectively.
The precedence, in fact, was started by the Morarji Desai government and the BJP was part of that government.
Either take a re-look at this system or ponder whether you want to retain the post of governor at all -- the first citizen of the state. It was unprecedented the way other governors and I got a phone call from the home ministry and were asked to step down.
Some such as the Lt Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung have not been asked to step down.
Yes, it's selectively applied. The Delhi Lt governor stays. The Lt governor of Andaman and Nicobar continues.
Former chief justice of India P Sathasivam's appointment as your successor to the post of Kerala governor has generated much controversy.
The decision to appoint him was taken by a duly elected government and the appointment was accepted by the former chief justice. I have nothing more to add.
As an experienced Congress hand, how do you see the ongoing tussle between the old guard and young brigade in the party?
There was a tussle during Indira (Gandhi)ji's time also. Then, Rajivji died early, and then there was P V Narasimha Rao. In this case, it is a generational change that is happening, which appears a tussle to the people outside. Change is natural and the Congress party, too, is going through some changes. We are a large party and change cannot be wished away.
Senior leader Janardan Dwivedi has said that Congressmen aged more than 70 should step away from active posts. You are 76 years old. What are your views on this?
I don't know what the fuss is all about. Why can't 70-year-olds continue if they are able to contribute? After all, experience and energy go hand in hand. It is for the collective leadership to take a call on this.
The current turmoil in the Congress mainly emanates from the questions being raised about Rahul Gandhi's leadership.
When you're in a winning situation, no questions are raised. We lost the elections collectively as a party and you can't blame one person. Rahul Gandhi has worked very hard. In hindsight, you can say this went wrong and that went wrong. But there is a generational change taking place within the party. I just hope we learn from our mistakes and work collectively for the party. There have been periods of crisis and we will emerge out of it.
How do you assess the Narendra Modi-led BJP government's performance?
It has just been three months but have prices come down? Hasn't communal tension increased? That should be an issue of concern and not the oratory of Narendra Modi
After a two-decade career as a member of Parliament, three-time chief minister and governor, what are your plans? Do you see yourself taking on a national role in the Congress or campaigning for the party in Delhi if there were polls?
It has just been 48 hours since I arrived. Let me settle down; I want to shift to my flat in Nizamuddin. Yes, I will be in politics and I will do whatever the party wants me to. I haven't got the mindset of a person starting on a new career. But this I know -- I will like to see the Congress strong because I believe the soul of India is represented by the Congress.
Are you planning on writing your memoirs like other politicians?
I have got some suggestions but haven't given them a thought. I'm thinking about doing something in the field of art since I'm very fond of it.
Weren't you pursuing these interests in Kerala's Raj Bhavan?
I saw a lot of their dance, Kathakali, and their music is very good. I read a lot of books on history, biographies on Nehru and Gandhiji. I also read a lot of books that I had read 15-20 years ago. Believe it or not, I even read Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca again.
After six months of President's rule in Delhi, the BJP is now proposing to form a government. The Lt Governor has conveyed this to the Centre. The Aam Aadmi Party, however, is lashing out at the Lt governor, alleging since the BJP doesn't have the requisite numbers, it will only encourage horse trading. As a former Delhi chief minister, what are your views?
For Delhi, it will be good to have an elected government, but that will only be possible if either of the two parties have the numbers. But nobody wants to go in for elections. It is for the home ministry to take a call now if the BJP wants to stake claim. As for the AAP accusing the Lt Governor, does it have any proof? The AAP has always been inconsistent.
