Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram on Monday told News18 Tamil that Congress President Rahul Gandhi will not be the prime ministerial candidate for the party in the Lok Sabha elections to be held in 2019.
He said the Congress and its alliance partners will take that decision only after the election. He categorically stated that the party’s main aim is to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2019 elections.
The former Union Minister said,“We never said that we want Rahul Gandhi to be Prime Minister.”
“When few Congressmen were talking about it, the All India Congress Committee intervened and stopped such talk. We want the Bharatiya Janata Party to be ousted. In its place, we want to see an alternative government which is progressive, respects freedom of individuals, doesn’t indulge in tax terrorism, gives protection to women and children, and uplifts farmers.”
Chidambaram further said that projecting a prime ministerial candidate is not absolutely necessary and several leaders have been made prime ministers without being named as prime ministerial candidates.
The former Finance Minister also said that the Narendra Modi government is adopting “threatening tactics” to keep regional parties to form an alliance with the Congress.
Rahul Gandhi had earlier said that he was willing to become the PM if Congress allies wish him to take the top post.