'I'm no outsider, born & brought up in C'garh'

A NYBODY who wants to leave the Congress is obviously not committed to the founding ideology of this country, said Manish Tewari, senior Congress leader and former Union minister.

In an interview with Harpreet Bajwa, the Anandpur Sahib MP who this time is contesting from Chandigarh talked about a range of issues.. Excerpts:

BJP has called you an outsider to Chandigarh.What have you to say?

BJP has been spreading the word that I am an outsider and not from Chandigarh. I was born and brought up in the city and thus have better claim over the city. You should ask them if Prime Minister Narendra Modi is from Varanasi.

These are parliamentary elections, not municipality polls.

Many Congress leaders have left the party and joined BJP. Your take?

Anybody who wants to go is obviously either not committed to the founding ideology of this country or the idea of India.

What is your take on electoral bonds controversy?

The Supreme Court has struck down the electoral bonds; apex court has said the electoral bonds system was opaque, therefore it needs to go. It is now becoming public that there is a quid pro quo between sanction of work orders by BJP government and electoral bonds.