Will support Rahul Gandhi as PM candidate: Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru, Jan 24 (IBNS): Days after praising his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee as an able leader, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has extended his support to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial candidate for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
In an interview with NDTV, Kumaraswamy said: "My part's decision is we want to support Rahul Gandhi as prime ministerial candidate. This is our commitment and it remains so."
"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," the Janata Dal (Secular) leader, who is running the Karnataka government in an alliance with the Congress, added clarifying his previous statement on the Prime Ministerial post.
Kumaraswamy, who featured in Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata's mega opposition rally last week in Kolkata, had said the country is disappointed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the West Bengal Chief Minister has all capabilities to lead the country and she proved it by running the eastern state for so many years.
Kumaraswamy with Mamata (Image: Kumaraswamy Twitter)
Not only Kumaraswamy, but DMK chief Stalin too had heaped praise on Rahul supporting the latter as his choice for the Opposition's Prime Ministerial candidate.
From Left to TMC, Stalin's opinion was however regarded as a personal one by several parties and not of the collective Opposition.
Rahul too had earlier stated he would become the Prime Minister if Congress emerges as the single largest party.
Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav, who stitched an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh, said he would be happy if the next Prime Minister comes from his state.
BSP supremo Mayawati, who turned 63 this year, said it is Uttar Pradesh which decides the Prime Minister.
Mamata's mega rally, which was held on last Saturday, invited a dig from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which stated nine out of 23 political leaders, who were present on the dais, have ambitions to become the Prime Minister.
Mamata's rally in Kolkata (Image: Avishek Mitra/IBNS)
Modi even mocked the Opposition saying the rivals are crying "Bachaao, Bachaao (save me)" out of fear of losing political ground.
From the Kolkata rally, the opposition leaders had urged voters to remove Modi and save the country.
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