The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday hinted that his party was ready to give up claims on the Prime Minister’s post to prevent the BJP-led NDA return to power.
Azad’s statement is being seen as a subtle hint to allies as well as prospective partners of the Congress that the grand old party was flexible on the choice of Prime Minister and would not force them to accept the leadership of Rahul Gandhi.
Interacting with media in Patna, Azad said, “We have already made our stand clear. If a consensus is made in the favour of Congress, then the party will take the leadership but our aim has always been that NDA Government should not come. We will go with the unanimous decision.”
“We are not going to make an issue that we (Congress) will not let anyone else become the Prime Minister if it is not offered to us (Congress). We are in the last phase of elections and I can say on the basis of my experience during campaigning across the country that neither BJP nor NDA is going to return to power at the Centre.
“Narendra Modi is also not going to become the Prime Minister for the second time... Non-NDA non-BJP Government will be installed at the Centre after the Lok Sabha elections,” Azad said.
Leaders such as MK Stalin, Tejashwi Yadav and even Arvind Kejriwal have said they are ready to support Rahul.
Criticising the saffron party, Azad said the BJP has been “thoroughly exposed” after coming to power at the Centre as it has followed its ideology of “creating hatred and divide” in society.
Azad also condemned the smashing of the bust of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, a noted philosopher and a Bengal icon, during the clash between BJP and TMC supporters during Amit Shah’s roadshow in Kolkata on Tuesday and said stern action should be taken against the guilty.