Political difference

'People like Amar Singh thrive on publicity and there is every possibility that the whole tapping episode is a sponsored operation directed by him'-Arvind Singh 

Sandeep Yadav Delhi
Being the younger brother of Amar Singh, a man with a fragile ego and fiery
temper, is a difficult task. Today when Arvind Singh has joined Congress, he is frank about his future plans, politics and brother in a conversation with Hardnews.

Why Congress? You have opted to join a party that is struggling to make its base in Uttar Pradesh (UP). Do you not think Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) would have been a wiser choice in your political fight against your brother?

First, I want to make it very clear that I have no personal score to settle with Amar Singh nor am I in politics to fight him. I joined Congress because I believe in the principles and ideals of the party. It is the only party in the country which has never indulged in caste , religious or regional politics. The secular credentials of the party can not be questioned. In fact I had always had a soft corner for the congress. As far as BSP is concerned, a party where a Kshatriya is regarded as a second-grade citizen is not my cup of tea.

If you had always had so much love for the Congress why were you in Azamgarh for almost a month during the general elections and canvassing for the Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate who eventually won?

I was an apolitical man till that time and only went to Azamgarh because Amar Singh had asked me to go there. Like a dutiful Laxman I was only obeying the orders of an elder brother. It had nothing to do with my political ideology, but was a task assigned to me which I wanted to do to satisfy my brother.

Laxman never revolted against Ram in mythology. From a dutiful Laxman to   a political opponent is a sad metamorphosis. What went wrong between you two?

Amar Singh is a very short-tempered, egoistic and insecure person. During my door-to-door campaigning in Azamgarh I had build a rapport with the masses and one Bijender Singh had called me there for a religious function in May last year. Amar Singh came to know of this and next day Bijender received a fax from Lucknow announcing his expulsion from the party. When I called Amar to protest against his high-handedness I was told that he was busy. I have never heard from him ever since.

Not a very convincing reason for you to draw cudgels against Amar Singh. If ever you had to fight him you could have done it better by joining SP. What is your take?

Nobody can stay in SP after disagreeing with Amar Singh. SP is not a political party anymore but a private limited company whose chairman is Mulayam Singh Yadav and director finance is Amar Singh. He has brought glamour and fashion in a party which talks about socialism. The hypocrisy of Amar Singh is evident when he alights from a 60 lakh car with a film actress in tow with both of them wearing a Gandhi cap on Gandhi Jayanti. If he is a socialist then nobody is below poverty line in India. He is a drawing-room politician and the biggest fixer in Indian politics. This culture of glamour has totally infected the SP and I see no place for myself with these people.