Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has expressed his preference for Rahul Gandhi as the next Prime Minister if the INDIA bloc wins the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. In an interview with NDTV, Kharge emphasized Gandhi’s broad appeal and representation of the youth across India.
“Rahul Gandhi is my choice to be Prime Minister. He represents the youth, and length and breadth of the country,” Kharge stated. He reiterated that the decision on the Prime Ministerial candidate would ultimately be made collectively by the coalition post-election. The results for the general elections are scheduled to be announced on June 4.
Highlighting internal party dynamics, Kharge disclosed his initial wish for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to contest in the elections. However, she opted to manage her brother Rahul’s campaign instead. “I wanted Priyanka to contest, but Rahul needed someone to be his campaign manager, since he was also campaigning across the country,” he said.
Kharge projected confidence in the coalition’s prospects against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asserting that the Congress and its allies would prevent the BJP from securing a third consecutive term. “From the reports we have received, we are sure that we will stop BJP from coming back to power. We believe that Congress has already crossed the 100-seat mark and are hoping to win 128 seats,” he added.
The Congress leader’s comments came ahead of the final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, set to take place on June 1. When questioned about his own potential candidacy for Prime Minister, as suggested by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and supported by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Kharge deferred to party procedures. “How can I propose my own name? The Congress party will take a call. Alliance parties might have named me, but in our party, we will sit together and decide… there is a process like in 2004 or 2009.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently remarked that the INDIA bloc is contemplating appointing multiple Prime Ministers if it secures a majority, rotating the position annually. “If the INDIA bloc gets a majority to form the Union government for the entire term, it is planning to have five Prime Ministers with one PM each year,” Modi stated during a rally in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur on May 25.
