When Modi carried a computer to his first TV interview: Rajeev Shukla

Congress' Rajeev Shukla recalls interviewing Narendra Modi for the 'Rubru' programme, noting the then-BJP leader carried a computer. Shukla says he didn't expect Modi to become PM as he was focused on organisational work for the party.

Congress leader Rajeev Shukla, who straddles the domains of politics and sports with ease and was an active journalist earlier, on Saturday recalled an interview with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his days in the organisation and said that even at that time, the BJP leader carried a computer during an interview.

Recalling an Early TV Interview

Rajeev Shukla said that he got to know Narendra Modi, who served as a BJP general secretary, at the residence of late BJP leader Arun Jaitley and had interviewed him for the 'Rubru' programme. "The programme was quite popular and Modiji had come for it. It was possibly his first TV exposure," We used to meet at Jaitley ji's residence and I knew him...I saw during the interview that he had brought a small computer with him," Shukla told ANI in an interview.

He noted that Narendra Modi was a "big personality" at that time.

'Did not feel he would become PM'

Asked if he felt at that time that Narendra Modi would become Chief Minister and later Prime Minister, Shukla said he did not feel so. "I did not feel like that. He (Narendra Modi) said in the interview that he did not want to do electoral politics and do organisational work," Shukla said.

Answering a query, he said Arun Jaitley also did organisational work at that time and was very apt at backroom management for the party. "Modiji was a man of the organisation...how to expand the organisation, win polls in states," he said.

Shukla said that while Narendra Modi had stated that he was not interested in electoral politics, he had to go to Gujarat because of the situation that was created. "From there, his path was opened and he is sitting here," Shukla said.

From Organisational Politics to Prime Minister

Narendra Modi worked as a national secretary of BJP from 1995, looking after the party's activities in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. As the BJP's general secretary organisation, he worked to ensure the BJP won the 1998 Lok Sabha elections.

It was in September 2001 that he received a phone call from then Prime Minister Vajpayee, which opened a new chapter in his life, taking him from the rough and tumble of organisational politics to the world of governance.

During his 13 years in office as Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi took several pro-people initiatives and laid thrust on proactive good governance.

He took the oath as the Prime Minister of India on May 26, 2014.

Regarded as a tech-savvy Prime Minister, PM Modi has emphasised use of technology to enhance the ease of living for the common people.

Freedom within Congress

Asked whether the Congress party had any problem with his meeting with BJP leaders, Shukla said the Gandhi family or the Congress party had never asked him not to maintain relationships. "I think there is a lot of freedom in the Congress Party," he said.

Shukla is a Rajya Sabha MP, Vice President of BCCI and a Member of Congress Working Committee. He has been a union minister and was also the IPL Chairman. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)