“I am not in the race” Says Rahul Gandhi; NCP Chief Gives Tips On How To Win 2019 Elections

Recently Congress President Rahul Gandhi had said that he was not driven by an ambition to the Prime Minister.

“I don’t have these visions. I view myself as fighting an ideological battle and this change has come in me after 2014. I realized that there’s a risk to Indian state, to the Indian way of doing things and I’m defending that,” Gandhi had said.

And the National Congress Party Chief Sharad Pawar was “happy” with this remark.

“I am happy that the Congress leader (Rahul Gandhi) has also said he is not in the race for the prime minister’s post,” he said at a party meeting in Mumbai.

Sharad Pawar said that the aim was to oust the BJP from power.

“Let elections take place, remove these people (BJP) from power. We will sit together. Whichever party has got more seats can claim the prime minister’s post,” Pawar said.

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SHARAD PAWAR’S TIP TO WIN THE 2019 ELECTIONS

Pawar pressed for forging alliances of anti-BJP parties at the state level and favored picking up the prime ministerial candidate after the election results, as had happened after the 1977 and 2004 general polls.

Raising concerns over the alleged instances of EVM tampering, Pawar asked the Election Commission to revert to using ballot papers during polling.

Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Ashok Chavan and NCP leaders Praful Patel and Jayant Patil would discuss seat-sharing between the two parties in a week or two, he said.

Pawar recalled how parties came together in a post-poll arrangement to dislodge incumbent parties from power in 1977 and 2004. In 1977, Congress tasted defeat and non-Congress parties had come together to form a government led by Moraraji Desai.

The Congress-led UPA was formed in 2004 after elections against the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA. “In 2004, no (non-BJP) party had a majority. No leader or party was projected (as the prime ministerial face). The BJP had then launched a massive India Shining campaign but was defeated,” Pawar said.

“Similarly, Narendra Modi is a strong competitor (now). But don’t worry, the common man of this country is more aware and smarter than us,” Pawar said.

The Maratha strongman said he would “try to go to each state and make regional parties which are not with the BJP to join us (the opposition alliance)”.

He noted that Congress is strong in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. In Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati-led BSP and Samajwadi Party headed by Akhilesh Yadav are strong, he said.

“Situation is different in each state. Hence, we will have to get along with parties which are strong in each state,” the former Union minister added.