CHENNAI, NOV 21: The phone in the chamber of editor-dramatist-lawyer `Cho' S Ramaswamy hasn't stopped ringing ever since his nomination to the Rajya Sabha was announced. There are calls from friends, journalists, many politicians, and also from reluctant admirers.He answers most of the congratulatory messages with ``congratulations, Sir''. When questioned, he argues: ``Why should you congratulate me that I am becoming an MP? Why can't I congratulate you?''Speaking to The Indian Express in between answering congratulatory calls and thoroughly enjoying himself, Cho feels that Prime Minister A B Vajpayee has made a ``mistake'' by suggesting his nomination.In his characteristic witty manner, Cho says he has never planned anything in his life. ``I became a dramatist by accident, an actor by accident, a lawyer by accident, a journalist by accident. I am becoming an MP too (if President K R Narayanan agrees with the Government's choice) by accident. Let us see who is affected by the accident - me or thepeople who thought it fit to nominate me.''He jokes: ``The Government must have taken the decision to nominate me to the Rajya Sabha in the belief that a single individual cannot cause damage to the Rajya Sabha.'' Asked how he saw himself in this new role as MP, he replies: ``Tamil Nadu will be relieved of my presence now and then.''What about his presence of mind, whether it will continue to have an effect on Tamil Nadu, he laughs, saying he will wait and see to what extent it gets dented.Asked how he would fare as an MP since he had worked in totally different fields as an actor, lawyer, journalist and lover of sports, Cho said: ``Probably the MP's post will require a combination of all that. It will require a bit of acting, a bit of legal background, some scandal-mongering which I am wont to do as a journalist, and finally, be a sport also. I will have to combine all these roles.'' When asked whether his next stop will be becoming a minister, Cho guffaws: ``It's very bad on your part that you thinkI am only capable of being a minister and not prime minister. To be honest, I have no such ambition and there is no ministership in the offing.``You probably feel that Vajpayee has made one mistake by recommending my name for the Rajya Sabha and that one mistake should lead to another. I am sure he will not make another mistake.''Asked about the practice of some cricket umpires who made a second mistake to soothe a team aggrieved by the first wrong ad decision, Cho says: ``Vajpayee is resilient. He will recover soon from the mistake in my case.''On how his friends have reacted to the Centre's proposal to make him an MP, Cho turns serious. ``I consulted my friends. They asked me to accept it. Having seen many fields of activity, I will have to wait and see how things develop.``My performance as an MP will depend on the kind of opportunities that come my way. It's too early to say what I will do as an MP,'' he says.On the conflict between his role as a journalist lampooning politicians and his stintin Parliament now, Cho feels he will not be hampered in any way.
