‘Spirituality is impossible in politics’

What have been your main spiritual inspirations?
Lord Hanuman has been my biggest inspiration, especially in times of adversity, teaching me how to transform the latter into an advantage. I call it the Hanuman theory of management, in the way he burnt a whole town when his tail was burnt by Ravan. Basically, do not cross anybody’s path, but if someone is unnecessarily provoking you and burning your tail, make sure that his entire kingdom is ruined, make sure that your problem becomes his. I have practised it a number of times with great success.

If you were to be reincarnated, what would you like to be?
I’d like to be a journalist. It is a funny life. You do a post-mortem on someone and then you shamelessly say: “I have done it for the audience, to get more eyeballs, so please do not mind…”

What is your idea of happiness?
You should be able to forget your good deeds and forgive your enemies’ bad deeds. Because if you do some good and that person turns his back once you are in distress, you cannot be at peace. And I have to say I am not at peace on that account because I can neither forgive nor forget. I am a struggler and I have fought hard for everything I achieved. That may explain why I am more demanding, more assertive and also more aggressive and volatile. And it probably is not good