Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday hit out at Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi while trying to lure JD(U) by terming Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar secular.
Singh also indicated his readiness to step down as the PM for Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi if UPA returns to power by saying that he would be happy if the Gandhi scion steps into his shoes.“In politics, there are no permanent enemies or permanent friends. We will decide as the situation evolves,” the Prime Minister said when asked whether the Congress would want to forge an alliance with JD(U) after its exit from NDA over elevation of Modi as the BJP’s Election Campaign Committee chairman.
Asked whether the Congress would seek alliance with JD(U), Singh said, “I cannot speculate on that or what happens in the future. We need support of all right-minded parties. In Parliament, we look for their support.” He said that Nitish is a secular leader, indicating the possibility of meeting ground for like-minded secular formations.
Interacting with mediapersons after the swearing-in-ceremony of new Ministers at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the PM said that he is no threat to the Congress. Though refusing to comment about veteran BJP leader lK Advani’s resignation episode after Modi’s elevation on the ground that it is internal issue of BJP, the PM said, “People of the country know what kind of politics Modi does.”
Dismissing the Federal Front idea being floated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee along with Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik, Singh said that he does not see it posing a real challenge to the UPA.
But Singh has the realisation that if UPA returns to power, Rahul will be the choice of the Congress for PM post and he would not get a third term. “I have always said, as far as I am concerned, I would be very happy to see Rahul step into my shoes,” he said in a first categorical statement on the issue. Earlier, Singh had always been evasive and virtually not ruled out himself being in the race for the top post again if the UPA wins a hat-trick.
lauding the Congress vice-president, Singh said, “Rahul Gandhi is a natural leader of the Congress. I hope he will lead the UPA. I always believe Rahul is fit enough and has the right qualities of a leader.”
Buoyed by the developments in NDA, the PM is hopeful that the UPA would return to power after the lok Sabha polls next year. “When the chips are down, the UPA will give a good account. I always believe we will have a third go at the elections as the UPA and people will again repose their faith in us,” he said.