An insight into his personality & 2024 polls
An insight into his personality & 2024 polls
An ace swimmer and a water polo championship holder himself during his younger days, Manish Tewari, senior Congress leader and former I&B Minister of India, believes that his biggest strength is reading people’s minds.
Contesting Chandigarh LS polls on a Congress ticket in 2024, he says it is the love and affection of people behind his poll victory each time. Here is an interesting conversation with Senior Congress leader Manish Tewari and TLJ Magazine Editor Dr Neha Miglani.
Your parents were from a very different academic and medical background. What brought you to politics? Please share something about your background and the city connection.
My father, Prof Vishwa Nath Tewari, was an academician and a professor at Panjab University Chandigarh. He was nominated to Rajya Sabha in 1982 and served till he was assassinated in 1984 in Sector 24 Chandigarh. My mother, Dr Amrit Tewari, served PGIMER for 30 years as a dental physician and dean. I studied at Vivek High School and then St Johns High School in Chandigarh. Later, I did my master’s degree in commerce and business from Panjab University and a degree in law from Delhi University. I spent the first 20 formative years of my life in Chandigarh. It was my father’s passing away that led me to join politics.
On his College day
“The swimming practice years when I was a water polo champion, we spent nearly 10 hours in water (in the swimming pool), that helped me build a lot of inner strength since one could just hear the noise of one’s hand.”
Something interesting that you remember from your college or university days. Any peculiar incidents or memories?
I was a national-level swimmer and won water polo championships in 1982-83 and 1983-84. In those days, I used to be in the swimming pool for almost 10 hours a day! We used to go to the swimming pool in sector 14 Chandigarh from 5 to 9.30 in the morning and then again from 5 to 9 pm in the evening. One can only hear the sound of one’s hands in the water and in that space. That time is memorable for me. It helped me build a lot of inner strength.
What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses?
My strength is that I read people quickly. Being in public life for 43 years gives you that ability. My weakness is that despite reading people quickly, I still give them the benefit of the doubt!
On his Poll Strategy
“The love and affection I get from people wherever I go is the formula. I have no other secret poll strategy.”
You contested elections from Ludhiana, and you won. You contested from Anandpur Sahib, and you won. What is your secret strategy to win polls?
It is simply the love and affection I get from people wherever I go. There is no secret strategy I have!
What is your message to the people of Chandigarh?
Our country is standing at a crucial crossing where democracy is at stake. If people in the government in Delhi have their say, these would be the last elections in the country. Chandigarh is a literate city and has been a glowing monument of India after its independence. Everyone has seen what happened in the mayoral elections in Chandigarh. People will not tolerate hate and bigotry. This is my message to the people of Chandigarh to wake up to this reality.
In a city where the Administrator (or the Punjab governor) is appointed by the centre, the MC house has a large majority of BJP members. Will a Congress MP be able to address the issues of Chandigarh appropriately?
On June 4, this country will have a new reality and a new government.