Irrespective of the party, Khushbu Sundar has her own voice. She speaks her mind and is even ready to correct her statements when she realises she has made a mistake.
Khushbu left Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in 2014 to join Congress only to quit six years later and be part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Khushbu talks to Manorama Online about leaving Congress, BJP’s chances in Tamil Nadu and her plans.
Excerpts:
Four years in DMK, six years in Congress. Why these political shifts?
The Congress of today is not the Congress which I had joined. How many Congress leaders will the people recognise if they were to walk on the roads? They are all residing in their homes and travelling in cars. They do not have any connect with the public. Nor do they take up the public’s problems. In every region, there would be some people surrounding a leader. This continues up till Delhi. Their bosses are the leaders in Delhi. The only aim is to make these bosses happy and not the general public.
What about BJP?
BJP leaders interact with the public. And they are not doing it with the objective of winning the next election. They have a direct connection with the people. The leaders are also capable of conveying their ideas to the public. That's politics. Tamil Nadu BJP state president Murugan had met me several times to try and make me understand their politics. They had the patience to make me understand and succeeded in their efforts. Is that happening in Congress?
Were you that unhappy in the Congress?
I had decided to resign in February. But it did not happen. It is difficult to be oneself in Congress. I was not being myself in that party for a long time. That is not something a person like me can continue to do.
What do you plan to do next in BJP?
I will do what the party asks me to. I did not join BJP with any prior demands or conditions. I have not sought posts in any party. Also, I have completed all tasks assigned to me. No leader has voiced any complaints about me.
You could have tried to make the Congress leadership understand?
That is not possible there. The policy is to oppose whatever the central government says. The current government was able to implement several Bills, including the GST, which the Congress had tried to bring in. But the Congress would not have been able to do so. Why are you turning your incapability to objection when someone else succeeds? Even while claiming to be with the minorities in matters such as triple Talaq, they are not able to take a strong stance. Congress is not making an effort to understand the problems of the people. They are raising objections for the sake of objecting. They also oppose matters for which the people have been making demands.
But did they not strongly protest against incidents such as the Hathras?
All their actions centre around one incident; instead of studying people's problems as a whole. When an incident happens, they turn that into an agitation. When that ends, everything is forgotten. Also, when women and children are assaulted, the Congress views it through the prism of religion and politics. They adopt one policy when an assault happens in a BJP-ruled state and a different stance for another region. The politics or religion of the assault victim should not be looked at. They are daughters of this land and we are all responsible for protecting them.
Do you think you have lost out on six years?
The first two years in Congress were good. I lost out on the remaining four years.
What can BJP do in Tamil Nadu, which is rooted in Dravidian politics?
There was a time when there were just eight or 10 people listening to a BJP leader's speech. Now, huge crowds can be seen. We should accept the fact that 70 crore people of this country had twice voted for the BJP and elected Narendra Modi as their prime minister. Tamil Nadu will also mirror the thoughts of the nation. Several states accepted BJP even while remaining true to their roots. I am sure that Tamil Nadu will also do the same.
