“I want a new generation in politics”

BCCI president and NCP chief Sharad Pawar spoke to Editor Prabhu Chawla about the presidential polls

Q. Your party supported Pratibha Patil for President.

A. There was no consensus on any other name.

Q. Was Pranab Mukherjee’s name proposed?

A. I was never asked about Pranab Mukherjee.

Q. How did you agree on Pratibha Patil?

A. The Left was in her support. I’ve known her for 40 years. We worked together in Vasantrao Naik’s and Shankar Rao Chauhan’s governments in Maharashtra.

Q. Are you supporting a woman or a Maharashtrian?

A. First a woman, and a capable woman. Her being a Maharashtrian is a reason to rejoice.

Q. You’ve rejected all charges against her.

A. All these charges came up only after the announcement of her candidature; they’re all false.

Q. Don’t we need an inquiry against her?

A. No. There are no personal allegations against her, only those influenced by the Opposition. Why were there no charges against her while she was the governor in BJP-ruled Rajasthan?

Q. Have you been consulted on the vice-presidential candidate?

A. No. We’ll shortlist the candidature for the vice-president only after the presidential polls.

Q. You seem anxious about defections in the President poll?

A. Bhairon Singh is my friend. I have no personal complaint against him. But why is he repeatedly saying that he will depend on cross-voting? It’s not good for the vice-president to talk about cross-voting.

Q. Why were you miffed with President Kalam?

A. He said he’d consider a second term only if he was assured a victory. One didn’t expect that from him.

Q. You have been appointed president of the ICC.

A. I’m the vice-president. I’ll take over as the ICC president in 2010 for a two-year term. I don’t have time for cricket. General elections are in 2009 and my party would prefer to go to Parliament through indirect election, that is, the Rajya Sabha.

Q. So you have no political ambitions after 2009?

A. My ambition is to put forward a new generation in politics. Most NCP ministers are 40 years old.

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