UPA 2 Was Arrogant, Modi Is Super Arrogant

Derek O’Brien, Rajya Sabha member

- Vijaya Pushkarna

Derek O’Brien, leader of the Trinamool Congress in the Rajya Sabha, was left with “one big conflict” after completing his new book, Inside Parliament: Views from the Front Row—should he present the first copy to his leader, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, or to his wife, Tonuca Basu? He will not tell us how he resolved it, but the quizmaster-turned politician was more than forthcoming on issues pertaining to politics and policy in an exclusive interview.

How did the journey from conducting quiz shows to politics happen?

As a journalist for a year, then in advertising for eight years, and then as a quizmaster, I was in the business of making knowledge interesting— understanding issues and communicating them. I am doing the same thing in Parliament. The scale is different. Here there is interaction with domain experts, you distil knowledge, then you convey it in the form of a speech or an essay or policy. I joined the Trinamool in 2004 and worked for the party till 2011. Mamatadi made me a spokesperson in 2006. Those were the Singur years. She was on a 26-day hunger strike. Though not part of the hunger strike, I was with her all the time. Those were important learning years.

What is the difference between the UPA 2 and the NDA?