A senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai while expressing his views on Goan politics said, if the people of Goa want him to become a chief minister then he would be ready to take up the responsibility. But he also opined that the people of the state would not want him to leave journalism and join politics. Sardesai denying the rumor that he would be the chief ministerial candidate of the Aam Aadmi Party for the 2017 Goa assembly elections mentioned that if any journalist becomes a politician then he has to quit journalism. Here is the report how a senior journalist answered to the questions asked at a program organized by a local Marathi daily to felicitate him.
[su_expand more_text=”READ MORE” less_text=” ” height=”0″ hide_less=”yes” link_style=”button” link_align=”center”] Sardesai responded to the question asked, “Unlike other occupations which can be continued even after being a politician, like a lawyer who can practice even after becoming a politician, journalism is not so. However, if the people of Goa tell me to be a chief minister then I am ready.
Speaking to the daily ‘The Navhind Times’, he said that those only the speculations that he is joining AAP and said that it should be left at that, as at no point he has given indications that he will take up politics.
Moving to a further talk he said, till he remains a journalist there is no question of entering politics, making a note that, he would have to give up journalism, which he does not intend to at the moment.
He stated, “I’m a proud Goan and my father is the only Goa-born cricketer to have played for India. I love Goa but that does not qualify me to be a chief minister or politician. One has to work for the people of Goa and live here, spend all his time and win the trust of the people. If that happens one day in the future, who knows… but today I don’t think about it.”
As he responded a question asked on his support for AAP, Sardesai said that while he has expressed support on issues, he has also been critical of AAP, the way he has been with other parties.
He added “At the moment I’m not with AAP and what the future holds… let’s leave it to the future.”
According to him with regards to the political scenario of the state Goa needs a change and young people need to see new faces.
He pointed out, Even if the AAP comes to the state it will have to connect with the local people. It can’t be a Delhi-based party; it has to be a party of Goa. The future for any party is when they reflect Goa’s aspirations,
Favoring for the regional parties, he said the regional parties will grow and West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are the best examples. Whether BJP or Congress, all national parties have to go to Delhi for their work. However, regional parties have their high command within the state. He highlighted that “Delhi politics is over and Delhi-based politics cannot survive any longer.”
According to Sardesai, Congress has been in crisis as regional parties have been eating into Congress votes. A look at the Trinamool Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party illustrates this. Both the parties split from the Congress and took along with them votes of the Congress.
He said, the dynasty politics of the Congress cannot sustain long as the young India wants meritocratic leaders. He also added, “I still feel Rahul Gandhi is yet to spend a day out there and display hard work. Maybe then the people of India will accept him as a leader.”
Source: NT
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