“My part’s decision is we want to support Rahul Gandhi as prime ministerial candidate. This is our commitment and it remains so,” said Mr Kumaraswamy, who heads a coalition government with the Congress in Karnataka.
Mr Kumaraswamy said his father, former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, also believed in it.
In an exclusive interview to NDTV, he clarified that the comments were taken out of context.
“I said among regional parties, there are several able leaders there, other than the BJP. Why not Mayawati, Mamata Banerjee… But our party is committed to installing Rahul Gandhi as prime minister,” he said.
On doubts and sarcasm surrounding Rahul Gandhi’s credentials for the top post, and whether he can take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Kumaraswamy said: “I have confidence he can take on PM Modi.”
PM Modi was “only a paper tiger”, he said, and Rahul Gandhi had matured as a politician.
“Modi-ji speaks well, his presentation is good, he uses social media but what is his achievement in the last four years,” Mr Kumaraswamy said.
Mr Kumaraswamy was among the leaders who starred in Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s 23-party opposition unity rally on Sunday. At the mega meeting at Kolkata’s Brigade Ground, opposition leaders resolved to take on the BJP and PM Modi together, saying the current government was past its sell-by date.
Post Your Comments