Debate over next Congress PM candidate on
New Delhi: The debate on the next Congress' Prime Ministerial candidate refused to die down with the party saying the issue will be decided around the polls next year.
Notwithstanding a curious statement by party General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi that the equation between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party President Sonia Gandhi was an ideal model that can continue for future, another General Secretary Digvijay Singh stuck to his guns that the experiment has failed.
At the AICC briefing, a flurry of questions were thrown at the party spokesperson P C Chacko as to who is party's Prime Ministerial candidate in the 2014 elections.
At the outset, he parroted Dwivedi's yesterday's statement on dual power centre model and said he has nothing more to add or subtract.
But when asked specifically whether Singh is their PM candidate for 2014 elections or not, Chacko replied "Lok Sabha elections are far away. We do not do like that. We do not take decisions this way..somebody projecting somebody".
Asked whether he is ruling out the candidature of Manmohan Singh for the third term, Chacko said that the party will take a collective decision when the time comes."
But, he hastened to add, "He (Manmohan Singh) is eminently suited for the post. Your question is right but the decision will be taken after 2014".
Asked whether he was also ruling out the candidature of Rahul Gandhi for the Prime Minister, Chacko said,"We have the same answer. We will cross the bridge when we come to it."
He also disagreed with contentions that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was declared the party's Prime Ministerial candidate for 2009 much before the general elections saying it was done on the eve of the elections and not 14 months back.
"Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Vice President Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh are working closely and there are absolutely no differences. Elections will take place in 2014. We will collectively take a decision," he said.
Meanwhile, Digvijay Singh who triggered all the debate stood by his views that the arrangement of two power centres has failed.
"But as a loyal and disciplined soldier of the party, the Congress spokesperson's and the party's stand is supreme and I will abide by it," he told reporters today.
Chacko also ruled out any differences in the party over the issue saying "no two opinions. Digvijay Singh has clarified that. As an obedient leader servant of the party, he goes by the party's decision. There is no two opinion.".
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