Facing the heat over its “unexpected” loss in the recent Haryana Assembly polls and its dismal showing in Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress, which is a part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra, is leaving no stone unturned to wrest the important state from the BJP. Among the star campaigners in Maharashtra is All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary (Organisation), K C Venugopal. In an interview with The Indian Express, the Congress leader speaks about the MVA’s prospects in Maharashtra, the coalition’s strategy and the role Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil is likely to play in the November 20 polls, among other issues. Excerpts:

Following the losses in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, is the Congress on the backfoot in Maharashtra?

This is completely baseless. Our campaign has gone off fabulously in Maharashtra. We won the most number of seats in the Lok Sabha polls (in the state) and there are massive crowds at every meeting. Our guarantees are a huge hit and our alliance (MVA) is working as a team. We are set for a resounding victory. The Congress is ahead and on the front foot. We had a good result and strike rate in the Lok Sabha polls, and Rahul ji’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra had great impact.

Senior leaders have been deployed as observers in all the regions and Lok Sabha seats while Assembly constituency observers have been on the ground for the past month.

The Congress and MVA trumped the BJP and Mahayuti in the Lok Sabha polls, winning 30 of the state’s 48 seats, largely riding on a campaign that the BJP now refers to as ‘ultra-leftist and anarchist’… They claim the RSS has undone the damage.

This is a ridiculous claim by the RSS and BJP, and shows that the BJP has refused to learn lessons from its Lok Sabha setback. People are fed up with issues and narratives solely designed to distract them. The Bharat Jodo Yatra was held to unite the country and was fundamentally against the principles of the RSS and BJP. It was meant to raise issues like unemployment and social justice, which are plaguing the common man. The people accepted and greeted the campaign.

The politics of anarchy is the motto of the RSS and BJP, it suits them. But we are on the right path. The MVA is going in the right direction with the right mission. We will win the polls.

You have announced populist / welfare schemes just like the Mahayuti did after the Lok Sabha polls. Are such cash incentives not a race to the bottom?

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was trolling us, but now he is busy announcing the same guarantees. A day after we promised Rs 7,000 as Minimum Support Price (MSP) for soyabean farmers, he promised Rs 6,000. Who is copying whom?

Our promises are not to counter anyone but to strengthen the poor and marginalised. When the Central and state governments are laying out the red carpet for the rich and powerful, we are standing by the poor. It is clear that industrialist (Gautam) Adani is sponsoring the Mahayuti. We have delivered the guarantees in Karnataka and Telangana and ran a good government when the MVA was in power (between 2019 and 2022).

A section of the Congress leaders believe that the MVA should have named a CM candidate while the Shiv Sena (UBT) was keen that Uddhav Thackeray be named the alliance’s CM face. Why is the Congress not keen on projecting a CM face?

The MVA had decided to collectively zero in on the CM face after the results. We follow this practice everywhere so there is not much to speculate at this point.

Does Jarange-Patil’s withdrawal benefit the BJP? How do you plan to tackle the Maratha quota issue given that it is entangled in a legal battle?

Our slogan of (conducting) caste census and raising the reservation cap beyond the existing 50% are clear answers on the issue.

With regard to Jarange-Patil, we do not see his withdrawal benefiting the BJP, whose idea of reservation is harming social justice. This election is a clear MVA versus Mahayuti battle and the people know this.

Gandhi and the Congress allegations that the BJP would change the Constitution if it won over 400 Lok Sabha seats may have had an impact in Maharashtra. Given that this is a state election, do you think that line of attack will work?

The issue of protecting the Constitution is significant in every election. Statements of BJP leaders attacking the Constitution and the core tenets of this country are alarming and threaten the values of democracy. The Constitution is the sole protector of people’s rights, especially those of Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs, poor, women and the marginalised. In Maharashtra, the people will give a befitting reply to those who oppose the values enshrined in the Constitution. Wherever injustice occurs, the Constitution remains relevant.

The BJP, especially Modi, has repeatedly claimed that the Congress’ guarantees are hollow and fake while Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s remarks about free bus rides for women were lapped up by the BJP…

Is Modi ready to accept Kharge’s challenge of visiting Karnataka and Telangana to see the delivery of the guarantees in these states? Modi is the one making hollow promises everyday. Our guarantees are thoughtfully designed and economically viable and have been finalised after thorough discussions.

On top of the several populist schemes, the MVA has announced that it will give a bonus to soyabean farmers in addition to procuring their produce at Rs 7,000 per quintal. Have you calculated the fiscal resources required for implementing these promises?

In 2021, soyabean prices rose to Rs 10,000 per quintal but have fallen so low that farmers are forced to sell their produce at Rs 4,200 per quintal or lesser, which is much below the MSP of Rs 4,892. This is due to the Modi government’s policy of removing import duties. The Centre is working against the interest of farmers while we are only promising what is their rightful due.

NCP chief Ajit Pawar said recently — backtracking later — that Gautam Adani and Sharad Pawar attended a 2019 meeting between the BJP and (then undivided) NCP. Later, Sharad Pawar said that the industrialist hosted the meeting but did not participate in it…

The revelation has exposed the fact that Adani is controlling the state as well as Central governments. It has also proved that Modi is working for Adani, a point that Gandhi has been raising.

But Sharad Pawar is a key ally of the Congress and a constituent of the INDIA bloc…

Sharad Pawar did not leave the MVA and continues to be a part of it. The point here is what roles does a businessman have in a discussion between political parties. It was Sharad Pawar who revealed that he was approached by this person and the meeting was arranged by him. The main point here is that a businessman, who has benefited a lot from this (Modi) government, is intervening in politics and trying to bring parties closer to the BJP.

We have been saying for a long time that the force which controls the government, in the Centre or states, is Adani. It is clear they tried to influence Sharad Pawar, but he rebuffed their offers. Then they tried using Central agencies too. The Enforcement Directorate was sent, but he has shown courage.

Given that Maharashtra has seen parties splitting over the last five years, are you confident that the MVA will remain intact after the polls?

It is the BJP that splits alliances and parties. The parties with us (Shiv Sena-UBT and NCP-SP) have suffered bitter experiences. They (the BJP) formed the government after splitting Balasaheb’s Shiv Sena and insulting Uddhav Thackeray, while Sharad Pawar’s party was split using his own nephew. Leaders like Sanjay Raut were jailed. I am sure after going through all this, these parties (Congress allies) will never have a change of heart. In fact, it keeps our coalition strong and intact.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which you head, had summoned SEBI chief Madhabi Puri Buch, but she skipped the meeting. The panel has now called representatives of the Coal Ministry in connection with the scam involving Dewan Housing Finance Corporation on November 19. Has the PAC dropped plans to summon Buch?

So far, the PAC has not dropped any decision taken in this regard.

It has been a month since the Haryana results and the party is yet to name a CLP leader to function as the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly. Is the party looking beyond Bhupinder Singh Hooda?

The procedure (to appoint the CLP) has been completed and a CLP meeting has also been convened. The CLP leader will be nominated soon. You are questioning a slight delay. Let me remind you that the BJP took five months (after the 2023 Assembly polls) to select their legislative leader in Karnataka.