He plays role of political watchdog for Congress

Changing according to the need of the hour is the name of the game in politics. And Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely seems to master the art like no other. 

Not only is he heading a party which is giving outside support to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party’s minority government, but the Gandhi Nagar legislator is also doubling up as a political watchdog who has to constantly monitor the Delhi government’s action to stop it from taking people-unfriendly decision.

“We are supporting the Arvind Kejriwal government’s 18-point agenda and that too for public welfare,” he said. We will not support any government step that is anti-people, said the four-time legislator from Gandhi Nagar constituency.

On the virtual collision between the state government and the centre over the Jan Lokpal Bill, Lovely said the real issue was something else. “The chief minister, having miserably failed in the sphere of governance of Delhi, is now trying to run away from his responsibility,” said the Delhi Congress chief.

Lovely, 49, also said Kejriwal was trying to create a collision or a situation in which his government is dismissed on some ploy or the other. This will suit his plan of going to the Lok Sabha elections as a “victim” and a “martyr” and garner sympathy votes.

“This is the reason why he is deliberately and wilfully flouting mandatory constitutional provisions, rules and norms,” he said. The Delhi Congress chief disagreed that the AAP’s frequent attacks on his party were a cause of embarrassment, especially when the Kejriwal government is surviving on outside support of eight Congress legislators.

On the latest controversy of calling Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung a Congress agent, Lovely said, “I feel it’s unfortunate.” “A constitutional head is being abused. It is something that has never happened earlier. It shows the kind of ideology they have,” he said.

Lovely also realises the burden on his shoulders and the uphill task of reviving the Congress, which was whitewashed in the Assembly elections with its tally falling from 43 to eight, and giving his best shot for fighting off challenges from AAP and BJP in the April-May parliamentary elections.

But will giving support to the Delhi government of AAP, which spares no opportunity to slam Congress, prove costly in the Lok Sabha elections? “I do not think the Lok Sabha election result would have any link to our decision to give outside support to the AAP government in Delhi,” he said. “We have given agenda-based support to AAP only to prevent another Assembly elections in the city,” said Lovely.    

The Delhi Congress chief dismissed as diversionary tactics the recent decision of the Kejriwal government to ask the Anti-Corruption Bureau to register FIR over CWG projects. “These are cases which the CBI has already investigated and closed due to lack of evidence,” said Lovely.

“An ACB probe now is like a case being sent to a district court after being handled by the Supreme Court,” he said. Arvinder Singh Lovely said the previous Congress government, where he himself was a cabinet minister, did no wrong. “We are open to probes into our work,” he said.

The young Punjabi leader also has loads of patience, to add to his political acumen. This is why he shuns all talk of rocking the boat of the AAP government. Are you geared up to sit in the opposition for five years? “Why not. As long as the AAP government fulfils its poll promises for public good,” he said.

Not many know but the Delhi Congress chief also loves driving. This is the reason why he prefers to be himself behind the wheel in his white SUV when he is zipping across the city.