NCP leader bats for Sharad Pawar as PM, says 2019 will be good

Mumbai: Suggesting that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar should be a Prime Ministerial candidate, NCP leader Praful Patel on Monday said, “2019 (when the general elections are due to be held) would be good opportunity for Pawar saheb”.

Mr Patel said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in a critical condition in Gujarat and, looking at prevailing mood of the country, 2019 would be tough for BJP. “In such a situation, our dream could come true,” he said. NCP leaders have been talking about Mr Pawar becoming PM in case no national party gets a complete majority, even though Mr Pawar himself has ruled out this possibility time and again.

Mr Patel was addressing a two-day state convention of the party in Karjat, Raigad.

Mr Patel, who was seen hobnobbing with the BJP recently, surprised all with sharp attack on saffron party. “The BJP came to power by selling Gujarat model. But see what the situation is in Gujarat now. The Prime Minister and BJP president are reaching out to all gallis and small towns in Gujarat. This is certainly not good,” said Mr Patel.

The leader also clarified that it is Congress that could be NCP’s ally. “Shiv Sena and BJP cannot be our friends. We are sure. We will try to form an alliance with Congress in Gujarat,” said Mr Patel.

Mr Patel also sought to distance the NCP from the BJP. “We never go to them. He (Modi) comes to meet us. Our party leaders also keep talking about sharing power with the BJP. Who said this? Who has taken this decision? This must be stopped,” he said.

The NCP had projected the Maratha strongman as a possible Prime Minister while campaigning for the general elections in 2009. However, the party suffered in the Lok Sabha elections, bagging only eight seats. Mr Pawar had not contested the election in 2014 and chose to be a Rajya Sabha member.