New Delhi:
PA Sangma, who is running for President of India against Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, is confident that he will garner enough support to win the elections. He spoke to NDTV's Vishnu Som.
Here's the full transcript of the interview:
Vishnu Som: Well it's one of the toughest races that anyone could have expected for a Presidential contest, but the man of the moment, well certainly what he hopes he is going to be, Presidential candidate Sangma joins us now. Thank you, Mr Sangma, very much for being with us.
PA Sangma: Thank you.
Vishnu Som: You are joining us after a day when the BJP said that you are their candidate, but it's not quite clear if you are going to be the NDA's candidate at this juncture, because the NDA seems to be divided on this issue. Where, Sir, do you think you are going to get the numbers from?
PA Sangma: First of all, I am not a candidate of any single party. I am an independent candidate, proposed by the Tribal Forum of India and positively responded to by two powerful Chief Ministers, Mr Naveen Patnaik and Madam Jayalalithaa of Tamil Nadu; and now being backed by the BJP and a few allies of the NDA, not fully. So I am not a candidate of any single political party. As far as the number is concerned, we go to the selections by number because Article 55 of the Constitution, it's very clear that election should be by secret ballot.
Vishnu Som: That's what you are counting on now?
PA Sangma: Absolutely.
Vishnu Som: So if you just look at what you are likely to get at this stage, it is NDA minus the JD(U)and the Shiv Sena, plus the AIADMK and the BJD gives you just 28 per cent, you need to cross 50 per cent, right? So the secret ballot, you are counting on that secret ballot, that's what you are left with?
PA Sangma: Firstly, my candidature has been backed by the BJP, where I have now officially become a candidate only yesterday.
Vishnu Som: Yes, yes.
PA Sangma: So it's just the beginning, you know, and many of the political parties are divided and many of the smaller political parties are, have not taken any decisions as yet. So you will have to see for the next one week or so how the political developments take place, because politics is such a game and just, just now before the starting of your programme, what has happened in Pakistan? The Prime Minister nominee yesterday is not a Prime Minister today. So this is, this is politics. So we don't know what is going to happen. So I am not at all going to go by numbers that respected political parties have got, because it is not accurate and there is no question of any whip, and members of electoral colleges are free to vote whoever they want to vote.
Vishnu Som: So the Trinamool is going to be very much possibly a kingmaker. I mean, irrespective of how many people choose to defy their party positions and vote possibly in your favour, you will still need as many votes as possible, the Trinamool will constitute a very large chunk
PA Sangma: Absolutely.
Vishnu Som: Has Mamata agreed to support you?
PA Sangma: See, from the time Mamata Banerjee had been advocating for Dr Kalam, we have been talking. I haven't met her as yet and her position was that if Dr Kalam accepts the candidature then I should not be in race. Then I should be supporting Dr Kalam. I said, yes I will consider, but I will consider it after I have taken Mr Naveen Patnaik and Jayalalithaa, the two Chief Ministers, into confidence, because minus them I cannot take any decision. To my request that in case Dr Kalam is not a candidate, will you support my candidature? That time she had said yes.
Vishnu Som: But she has not said since yesterday.
PA Sangma: No, yesterday I have talked to her, not, I did not want to discuss with her this issue on phone, you, know the subject...
Vishnu Som: ...Yes
PA Sangma: ...So my request was that I should come down to Kolkata and meet her. I have sent her a request, I have talked to her office, not me, my officers, and they will let us know.
Vishnu Som: Were you disappointed that the BJP took so much time in endorsing your candidature?
PA Sangma: I don't think they took so much of time, after all the last date of filing the nomination is 30th of this month; and today it is only the 22nd, 8 days are still left. And decisions on such matters, which are very, very complicated, one cannot expect them to take a decision in a hurry. I don't mind. They have taken time because they wanted to take everyone on board, particularly JDU and Shiv Sena. It took time for them but ultimately they could not, it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter.
Vishnu Som: Mr Sangma, if you look at your political career of so many decades, in the last, in the last decade or so you have done a flip-flop in terms of your political allegiances. You were with the Congress; you had to leave the Congress on the foreigner issue. You were one of the founder members of the NCP; you affected a split in the NCP. You were briefly there with Trinamool, you left the Trinamool, you rejoined the NCP and now you have left the NCP again. So those looking at you and your recent political past, why would they be confident of what you bring to the table? You've not been with one party for all that period of time in the last ten years.
PA Sangma: So I am a great admirer and follower of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, I am deeply involved with the Netaji Trust. Look at his political career, see, he always stood for a particular principle and if it was necessary to uphold that principle, to leave the Congress, he left the Congress, formed his own political party, the Forward Bloc. Again when the necessity came he again joined the Congress and became the Congress President and again he had to leave. So it is a question of principle, not seeking for a post or position. I have never left the political party because I wanted that position and I did not get it. I left Congress because of a particular principle which was the whole world knows about it. I left the BJP, ah NCP for the same principle okay. What is the matter? It is a closed chapter, well I thought.
Vishnu Som: So your principle is now Tribal Rights?
PA Sangma: Tribal rights.
Vishnu Som: But why didn't you play this card earlier? Why is it? We have always known you to be the foremost leader from the North East of the country, somebody who has, in a sense, gone beyond regional issues. You are a national leader, not just from the North East. Why are you looking at a particular constituency, the tribal constituency at this juncture, when you represent everybody in a sense?
PA Sangma: I represented everybody, I have worked for everybody, I have worked for India. In the process perhaps I have not been able to do justice to tribals. I have not been able to do justice to the north eastern states. And above all I could not do justice to my own state, Meghalaya. That is the reason after being elected to the Parliament for nine times, I left. I could have been elected for two-three more times but I left and went to state politics, so that I am able to contribute something substantial for the development of the state. Where I cannot do it as a Minister in the Centre, because I have to look after the entire country, that was my idea. See, the tribals in this country are more than a 100 million; they have not been given their due. I was the first tribal to become the cabinet minister in 1995. When I became the cabinet minister, the media asked me how do you feel? I said I feel very proud that I am the first tribal to be the cabinet minister of the country. It came in the first page of every newspaper. Vajpayeeji came to my house and asked me what you have stated yesterday, is it right? I said yes. He said, no you see, how could India make such a mistake? How could India ignore the tribal population of this country?
Vishnu Som: So you want to correct a historic mistake?
PA Sangma: Absolutely, absolutely. I want to correct the historic mistakes this country has done and appeal to the conscience of the nation that yes, here we are also a part of this nation. We have also given our land to this nation, we have given our mineral resources to this nation, we have given our forest products to this country, please recognise us also.
Vishnu Som: On one level you say that, but people those who criticise you say this is largely a symbolic race, despite your belief that the secret ballot is going to help you. Chances are that you are going to lose this election. If Mamata doesn't back you, if in the next few days you don't get support of other political parties, will you consider withdrawing?
PA Sangma: It is not at all a symbolic contest. It is a very serious contest. In 1965 when VV Giri stood against the official candidate, that time also people thought that it was a symbolic contest, but it proved otherwise, okay. Just wait and watch.
Vishnu Som: You are absolutely certain that you have got the numbers on your side and that you will get the numbers on your side?
PA Sangma: Yes.
Vishnu Som: You believe from the bottom of your heart that you are winning this election?
PA Sangma: Yes, of course, of course, I am winning it.
Vishnu Som: What will you bring to this contest that Mr Pranab Mukherjee doesn't have? He is an old friend of yours.
PA Sangma: Yes, yes, of course.
Vishnu Som: And he is a leader, as much experienced, if not more experienced than you. So what do you have, that he doesn't?
PA Sangma: He is not my friend only, he is my guru. You know, I admire his intelligence, I admire his talent; I admire his efficiency. He has everything, I am nowhere near him, you know, as an experienced person, as an administrator, he has all along been for so many years as the cabinet minister. I had no chance to show my talent as minister because I was the first cabinet, but only for 5 months...
Vishnu Som: Right, right.
PA Sangma: ...Only for 5 months, I couldn't show. Pranabda had enough chance to show and he has proved it. I have all respect for him, but democracy means contest, democracy means giving choice to the people, democracy means debate, democracy means discussion. Country is facing lot of problems; today the headline is that the Rupee is at all-time low. You know, scams, earlier we would hear of 15 crores, 20 crores, we heard so many. And today it is 1 lakh crores, 2 lakh crores, 2 lakh 70 thousand crores. Is it not a shame for this country? You know, foreign investments are not coming up. Then Baba Ramdev is fighting against...
Vishnu Som: You are criticising Pranab Mukherjee, you believe that your guru Pranab Mukherjee has not done enough? That's what you are saying?
PA Sangma: I am not saying that. These are the issues before us, these are the realities before India, and this election should be an opportunity to discuss, to retrospect and to debate about these issues.
Vishnu Som: How did you say Sir that these elections are actually; that you are in an electoral game, which is part of a huge churning in Indian politics? All the major alliances have split. The Trinamool is out of the UPA as far as this contest is concerned. The JD(U) isn't supporting the NDA, the Shiv Sena isn't supporting the NDA. The CPI and CPM and the Left see differently. This is a massive churn, largely by regional players, ahead of the 2014 elections. This is all about the first steps to the next national elections. Do you see it in that light?
PA Sangma: That is precisely what I am trying to explain to you, the very fact that all the major formations in this country, political formations in the country starting from the UPA, NDA and Left and others are all split. Is it not ironic? Is it not a serious political issue of this country, which this presidential election is bringing?
Vishnu Som: Yes...
PA Sangma: How do you say that this is a symbolic contest then? How do you say it is a symbolic contest when major formations, political formations ...
Vishnu Som: ...this is only because you may not have the numbers and you still insist on contesting.
PA Sangma: That does not matter.
Vishnu Som: On your own principle?
PA Sangma: Of course.
Vishnu Som: What about the principles of your own family? Your daughter, she has been in the Lok Sabha twice, she is with the party that you have just left. She would have to vote for her father, therefore defying her party vote. The party whip, isn't that a dichotomous position? Isn't that a difficult position to sustain? Is she under pressure, Agatha?
PA Sangma: Agatha is a part of the UPA.
Vishnu Som: Yes.
PA Sangma: That is true. I am not. I am not. In Meghalaya we have a Congress government ...
Vishnu Som: Yes.
PA Sangma: ...and NCP is the recognised opposition party. So I am an MLA in Meghalaya, fighting against a Congress on the floor of the Assembly, outside every day. Why should I vote for Congress candidate?
Vishnu Som: So Agatha would follow the party's line?
PA Sangma: And Agatha is....
Vishnu Som: ...she would vote against her own father?
PA Sangma: I don't know. She is a mature person, she has been to Parliament second time, and she is a minister now. She has every right to decide for herself.
Vishnu Som: Difficult choice though for a daughter isn't it?
PA Sangma: For her really yes, but I don't want to interfere at all.
Vishnu Som: But she must be discussing this dilemma with you?
PA Sangma: Discussions take place over so many issues in this country. You know discussions take place; she is mature enough to take her own decisions.
Vishnu Som: Sir, going ahead in the next few days, what is your strategy going to be in terms of reaching out to political players? You have mentioned Mamata Banerjee, who else are you now going to reach out to?
PA Sangma: Well, I would be speaking to all the chief ministers, members of Parliament and the legislators of the north eastern states, because it involves the prestige of north east, I come from north east. I will be reaching to them including the Congress chief ministers. I have already spoken to many of the Congress MPs and MLAs, I don't want to tell you the details.
Vishnu Som: Okay.
PA Sangma: I am a candidate who is sponsored by the tribals, right, Tribal Forum, which is a very powerful forum, where every political party is represented, and we form 5 per cent of the total electorate. You know, the Tribal Forum is 5 per cent of the total electorate and we are together. I can tell you that, that's my constituency, the Tribals, Schedule Caste are my constituency. When we fought for the Schedule Caste, the President and subsequently KR Narayanan became the President of India, because of the joint efforts of the Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribes combined. We are also going to combine this time.
Vishnu Som: One final question, bringing the north east to the mainstream, you have tried to do that all your career, you have achieved that to a certain extent. But the north east and the people from north east find themselves grossly alienated in parts of the country, particularly in our national capital.
PA Sangma: Yes.
Vishnu Som: If you were to win this election what would you do to ensure better integration or a better sense of the north east being a cohesive part of India?
PA Sangma: I will not only try to bring the north east into the mainstream of national life, for that matter my effort will be to bring in all the tribals into the national mainstream, well I am saying this. Today we have many problems in the country, which are tribal related. You talk of Maoists it is tribal related. You talk of Naxalites it is a tribal related party. A problem, you talk about insurgency, you talk about underground movement, all tribal related. I am sure this will be a big message for them that no, in this country we have a place.
Vishnu Som: Alright Mr Sangma, thank you so much for speaking to us this afternoon. It's going to be a difficult contest for you, but you seemed to be absolutely determined. You are one of the most popular politicians; that I don't think any political party would dispute. Thank you so much for speaking to us today.
PA Sangma: Thank you.
Here's the full transcript of the interview:
Vishnu Som: Well it's one of the toughest races that anyone could have expected for a Presidential contest, but the man of the moment, well certainly what he hopes he is going to be, Presidential candidate Sangma joins us now. Thank you, Mr Sangma, very much for being with us.
PA Sangma: Thank you.
Vishnu Som: You are joining us after a day when the BJP said that you are their candidate, but it's not quite clear if you are going to be the NDA's candidate at this juncture, because the NDA seems to be divided on this issue. Where, Sir, do you think you are going to get the numbers from?
PA Sangma: First of all, I am not a candidate of any single party. I am an independent candidate, proposed by the Tribal Forum of India and positively responded to by two powerful Chief Ministers, Mr Naveen Patnaik and Madam Jayalalithaa of Tamil Nadu; and now being backed by the BJP and a few allies of the NDA, not fully. So I am not a candidate of any single political party. As far as the number is concerned, we go to the selections by number because Article 55 of the Constitution, it's very clear that election should be by secret ballot.
Vishnu Som: That's what you are counting on now?
PA Sangma: Absolutely.
Vishnu Som: So if you just look at what you are likely to get at this stage, it is NDA minus the JD(U)and the Shiv Sena, plus the AIADMK and the BJD gives you just 28 per cent, you need to cross 50 per cent, right? So the secret ballot, you are counting on that secret ballot, that's what you are left with?
PA Sangma: Firstly, my candidature has been backed by the BJP, where I have now officially become a candidate only yesterday.
Vishnu Som: Yes, yes.
PA Sangma: So it's just the beginning, you know, and many of the political parties are divided and many of the smaller political parties are, have not taken any decisions as yet. So you will have to see for the next one week or so how the political developments take place, because politics is such a game and just, just now before the starting of your programme, what has happened in Pakistan? The Prime Minister nominee yesterday is not a Prime Minister today. So this is, this is politics. So we don't know what is going to happen. So I am not at all going to go by numbers that respected political parties have got, because it is not accurate and there is no question of any whip, and members of electoral colleges are free to vote whoever they want to vote.
Vishnu Som: So the Trinamool is going to be very much possibly a kingmaker. I mean, irrespective of how many people choose to defy their party positions and vote possibly in your favour, you will still need as many votes as possible, the Trinamool will constitute a very large chunk
PA Sangma: Absolutely.
Vishnu Som: Has Mamata agreed to support you?
PA Sangma: See, from the time Mamata Banerjee had been advocating for Dr Kalam, we have been talking. I haven't met her as yet and her position was that if Dr Kalam accepts the candidature then I should not be in race. Then I should be supporting Dr Kalam. I said, yes I will consider, but I will consider it after I have taken Mr Naveen Patnaik and Jayalalithaa, the two Chief Ministers, into confidence, because minus them I cannot take any decision. To my request that in case Dr Kalam is not a candidate, will you support my candidature? That time she had said yes.
Vishnu Som: But she has not said since yesterday.
PA Sangma: No, yesterday I have talked to her, not, I did not want to discuss with her this issue on phone, you, know the subject...
Vishnu Som: ...Yes
PA Sangma: ...So my request was that I should come down to Kolkata and meet her. I have sent her a request, I have talked to her office, not me, my officers, and they will let us know.
Vishnu Som: Were you disappointed that the BJP took so much time in endorsing your candidature?
PA Sangma: I don't think they took so much of time, after all the last date of filing the nomination is 30th of this month; and today it is only the 22nd, 8 days are still left. And decisions on such matters, which are very, very complicated, one cannot expect them to take a decision in a hurry. I don't mind. They have taken time because they wanted to take everyone on board, particularly JDU and Shiv Sena. It took time for them but ultimately they could not, it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter.
Vishnu Som: Mr Sangma, if you look at your political career of so many decades, in the last, in the last decade or so you have done a flip-flop in terms of your political allegiances. You were with the Congress; you had to leave the Congress on the foreigner issue. You were one of the founder members of the NCP; you affected a split in the NCP. You were briefly there with Trinamool, you left the Trinamool, you rejoined the NCP and now you have left the NCP again. So those looking at you and your recent political past, why would they be confident of what you bring to the table? You've not been with one party for all that period of time in the last ten years.
PA Sangma: So I am a great admirer and follower of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, I am deeply involved with the Netaji Trust. Look at his political career, see, he always stood for a particular principle and if it was necessary to uphold that principle, to leave the Congress, he left the Congress, formed his own political party, the Forward Bloc. Again when the necessity came he again joined the Congress and became the Congress President and again he had to leave. So it is a question of principle, not seeking for a post or position. I have never left the political party because I wanted that position and I did not get it. I left Congress because of a particular principle which was the whole world knows about it. I left the BJP, ah NCP for the same principle okay. What is the matter? It is a closed chapter, well I thought.
Vishnu Som: So your principle is now Tribal Rights?
PA Sangma: Tribal rights.
Vishnu Som: But why didn't you play this card earlier? Why is it? We have always known you to be the foremost leader from the North East of the country, somebody who has, in a sense, gone beyond regional issues. You are a national leader, not just from the North East. Why are you looking at a particular constituency, the tribal constituency at this juncture, when you represent everybody in a sense?
PA Sangma: I represented everybody, I have worked for everybody, I have worked for India. In the process perhaps I have not been able to do justice to tribals. I have not been able to do justice to the north eastern states. And above all I could not do justice to my own state, Meghalaya. That is the reason after being elected to the Parliament for nine times, I left. I could have been elected for two-three more times but I left and went to state politics, so that I am able to contribute something substantial for the development of the state. Where I cannot do it as a Minister in the Centre, because I have to look after the entire country, that was my idea. See, the tribals in this country are more than a 100 million; they have not been given their due. I was the first tribal to become the cabinet minister in 1995. When I became the cabinet minister, the media asked me how do you feel? I said I feel very proud that I am the first tribal to be the cabinet minister of the country. It came in the first page of every newspaper. Vajpayeeji came to my house and asked me what you have stated yesterday, is it right? I said yes. He said, no you see, how could India make such a mistake? How could India ignore the tribal population of this country?
Vishnu Som: So you want to correct a historic mistake?
PA Sangma: Absolutely, absolutely. I want to correct the historic mistakes this country has done and appeal to the conscience of the nation that yes, here we are also a part of this nation. We have also given our land to this nation, we have given our mineral resources to this nation, we have given our forest products to this country, please recognise us also.
Vishnu Som: On one level you say that, but people those who criticise you say this is largely a symbolic race, despite your belief that the secret ballot is going to help you. Chances are that you are going to lose this election. If Mamata doesn't back you, if in the next few days you don't get support of other political parties, will you consider withdrawing?
PA Sangma: It is not at all a symbolic contest. It is a very serious contest. In 1965 when VV Giri stood against the official candidate, that time also people thought that it was a symbolic contest, but it proved otherwise, okay. Just wait and watch.
Vishnu Som: You are absolutely certain that you have got the numbers on your side and that you will get the numbers on your side?
PA Sangma: Yes.
Vishnu Som: You believe from the bottom of your heart that you are winning this election?
PA Sangma: Yes, of course, of course, I am winning it.
Vishnu Som: What will you bring to this contest that Mr Pranab Mukherjee doesn't have? He is an old friend of yours.
PA Sangma: Yes, yes, of course.
Vishnu Som: And he is a leader, as much experienced, if not more experienced than you. So what do you have, that he doesn't?
PA Sangma: He is not my friend only, he is my guru. You know, I admire his intelligence, I admire his talent; I admire his efficiency. He has everything, I am nowhere near him, you know, as an experienced person, as an administrator, he has all along been for so many years as the cabinet minister. I had no chance to show my talent as minister because I was the first cabinet, but only for 5 months...
Vishnu Som: Right, right.
PA Sangma: ...Only for 5 months, I couldn't show. Pranabda had enough chance to show and he has proved it. I have all respect for him, but democracy means contest, democracy means giving choice to the people, democracy means debate, democracy means discussion. Country is facing lot of problems; today the headline is that the Rupee is at all-time low. You know, scams, earlier we would hear of 15 crores, 20 crores, we heard so many. And today it is 1 lakh crores, 2 lakh crores, 2 lakh 70 thousand crores. Is it not a shame for this country? You know, foreign investments are not coming up. Then Baba Ramdev is fighting against...
Vishnu Som: You are criticising Pranab Mukherjee, you believe that your guru Pranab Mukherjee has not done enough? That's what you are saying?
PA Sangma: I am not saying that. These are the issues before us, these are the realities before India, and this election should be an opportunity to discuss, to retrospect and to debate about these issues.
Vishnu Som: How did you say Sir that these elections are actually; that you are in an electoral game, which is part of a huge churning in Indian politics? All the major alliances have split. The Trinamool is out of the UPA as far as this contest is concerned. The JD(U) isn't supporting the NDA, the Shiv Sena isn't supporting the NDA. The CPI and CPM and the Left see differently. This is a massive churn, largely by regional players, ahead of the 2014 elections. This is all about the first steps to the next national elections. Do you see it in that light?
PA Sangma: That is precisely what I am trying to explain to you, the very fact that all the major formations in this country, political formations in the country starting from the UPA, NDA and Left and others are all split. Is it not ironic? Is it not a serious political issue of this country, which this presidential election is bringing?
Vishnu Som: Yes...
PA Sangma: How do you say that this is a symbolic contest then? How do you say it is a symbolic contest when major formations, political formations ...
Vishnu Som: ...this is only because you may not have the numbers and you still insist on contesting.
PA Sangma: That does not matter.
Vishnu Som: On your own principle?
PA Sangma: Of course.
Vishnu Som: What about the principles of your own family? Your daughter, she has been in the Lok Sabha twice, she is with the party that you have just left. She would have to vote for her father, therefore defying her party vote. The party whip, isn't that a dichotomous position? Isn't that a difficult position to sustain? Is she under pressure, Agatha?
PA Sangma: Agatha is a part of the UPA.
Vishnu Som: Yes.
PA Sangma: That is true. I am not. I am not. In Meghalaya we have a Congress government ...
Vishnu Som: Yes.
PA Sangma: ...and NCP is the recognised opposition party. So I am an MLA in Meghalaya, fighting against a Congress on the floor of the Assembly, outside every day. Why should I vote for Congress candidate?
Vishnu Som: So Agatha would follow the party's line?
PA Sangma: And Agatha is....
Vishnu Som: ...she would vote against her own father?
PA Sangma: I don't know. She is a mature person, she has been to Parliament second time, and she is a minister now. She has every right to decide for herself.
Vishnu Som: Difficult choice though for a daughter isn't it?
PA Sangma: For her really yes, but I don't want to interfere at all.
Vishnu Som: But she must be discussing this dilemma with you?
PA Sangma: Discussions take place over so many issues in this country. You know discussions take place; she is mature enough to take her own decisions.
Vishnu Som: Sir, going ahead in the next few days, what is your strategy going to be in terms of reaching out to political players? You have mentioned Mamata Banerjee, who else are you now going to reach out to?
PA Sangma: Well, I would be speaking to all the chief ministers, members of Parliament and the legislators of the north eastern states, because it involves the prestige of north east, I come from north east. I will be reaching to them including the Congress chief ministers. I have already spoken to many of the Congress MPs and MLAs, I don't want to tell you the details.
Vishnu Som: Okay.
PA Sangma: I am a candidate who is sponsored by the tribals, right, Tribal Forum, which is a very powerful forum, where every political party is represented, and we form 5 per cent of the total electorate. You know, the Tribal Forum is 5 per cent of the total electorate and we are together. I can tell you that, that's my constituency, the Tribals, Schedule Caste are my constituency. When we fought for the Schedule Caste, the President and subsequently KR Narayanan became the President of India, because of the joint efforts of the Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribes combined. We are also going to combine this time.
Vishnu Som: One final question, bringing the north east to the mainstream, you have tried to do that all your career, you have achieved that to a certain extent. But the north east and the people from north east find themselves grossly alienated in parts of the country, particularly in our national capital.
PA Sangma: Yes.
Vishnu Som: If you were to win this election what would you do to ensure better integration or a better sense of the north east being a cohesive part of India?
PA Sangma: I will not only try to bring the north east into the mainstream of national life, for that matter my effort will be to bring in all the tribals into the national mainstream, well I am saying this. Today we have many problems in the country, which are tribal related. You talk of Maoists it is tribal related. You talk of Naxalites it is a tribal related party. A problem, you talk about insurgency, you talk about underground movement, all tribal related. I am sure this will be a big message for them that no, in this country we have a place.
Vishnu Som: Alright Mr Sangma, thank you so much for speaking to us this afternoon. It's going to be a difficult contest for you, but you seemed to be absolutely determined. You are one of the most popular politicians; that I don't think any political party would dispute. Thank you so much for speaking to us today.
PA Sangma: Thank you.
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