Q: So for how long would you support this govt when you have so many differences? Will you support them for 5 years just to keep BJP out of power.
Mani: We'll support them as long as they don't make some horrendous mistake. We'll try and teach them. I have made an open offer that on Panchayati Raj, organizing the Mohalla Sabhas and so forth, where I personally have considerable expertise and I have just recently produced a five volume report, I said I'll give it you. And I don't want to name him but just a few minutes before you came here, somebody connected to the AAP has visited me and accepted my offer and taken away the five volumes.
I'm willing to cooperate with anyone, even the BJP on Panchayati Raj. When I was minister of Panchayat Raj, I worked very closely with Bhupendra Chudasama of Gujarat . He wanted me to come to Gujarat . I went to every state of India on Panchayat Raj except one state i.e. Gujarat because Narendra Modi would not let Chudasama invite me. And he calls himself very transparent, open. He knew that I could make him benaqab in next to no time by going and seeing the Pancayat system in the state. Because theoretically, I knew what his defects were.
Q: Is it not very ironical that you are supporting AAP in Delhi but in Amethi ,Kumar Vishwas launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi. He used very strong language against Rahul Gandhi.
Mani: Why do you have to wait for Amethi. This kejriwal iDelhi and his people on a daily basis, no I'm wrong, on an hourly basis, no, I'm wrong, on a second by second basis, are abusing the Congress here.
But we know that whatever he says about us, he is at least, not targeting Muslims, helpless minorities. Targetting Rahul Gandhi is a part and parcel of political discourse. Targeting the minorities only because they are minorities, is a blow to Mother India. There is a big difference between the two.
Q: There are some people who believe that Arvind Kejriwal could be a viable alternative to both Congress and BJP at the national level. How would you react to that?
Mani: With amusement (Laughs)
