Ravi Shankar Prasad: The Congress is a major all-India party. If India is to grow as a strong democracy, then we should have a stable multiple party-system. In that way, we consider the Congress Party to be a strong opposition party to us, ideologically. The only problem we have with them is that we wish they were more broad-based and not centred on ‘a’ particular family. Otherwise, we respect them as a national party. Our differences are too well known to be repeated.

•Suman K Jha (to Jayanthi Natarajan): How important is the BJP in your idea of India?

Jayanthi Natarajan: The BJP is the principal opposition party for the Congress. The BJP should recognise their status as the principle opposition party and acquire a better all-India character and move on from a divisive agenda to a more inclusive one. I wish the BJP would resist the temptation of resorting to a divisive agenda during elections and focus on more basic issues.

Ravi Shankar Prasad: This constant refrain about divisive politics is becoming redundant. Let the people take a call on it. Take the case of what is happening in Srinagar. The Government has given into the demands of the separatist groups. There has been a consensus in the country that regardless of faith provisions will be made for devotees across the country. There is no better example of divisive politics than the Government’s decision to surrender to the separatists demand.

... contd.