‘No official decision on PM candidate yet’

› We do not have an issue over prime ministership. We want a government that does not snatch human freedom, one that does not intimidate citizens

P CHIDAMBARAM, Ex-finance minister

NEW DELHI: Former finance minister P Chidambaram on Monday said the Congress has never “officially” stated its president Rahul Gandhi should be the prime minister if an opposition alliance formed the next government.

In an interview to News18 Tamil TV channel, he said the Congress’s focus was on dislodging the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre and bringing in a “progressive” alternative.

Chidambaram said the Opposition constituents would take a decision on who will be the prime minister in case it wins the next year’s Lok Sabha poll.

“The Congress party has not officially said Rahul Gandhi should be installed as prime minister. When one or two persons spoke about it, the AICC (All India Congress Committee) leadership asked them not to discuss the issue,” he said.

“We do not have an issue over prime ministership. We want a government that does not snatch human freedom, one that does not intimidate citizens, one that does not impose tax terrorism on traders and entrepreneurs,” Chidambaram said.

He said the safety of women and children should be a key characteristic of such a government, which would strive to ensure that farmers do not lose their livelihood.

“That is our intention. The Congress party never said the prime minister should be from the party. Rahul Gandhi never said so. An alliance should take shape, that alliance should win, and the alliance parties will decide who will be the prime minister.”

The Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s politburo member Md Salim said they have maintained from day one that there is no scope of any national alliance with any name as a prime ministerial candidate. “Congress must look at the 1996, 2004 model where a postpoll coalition came to power.” He said the focus should be on maximising the opposition votes in different constituencies and defeat the BJP.

Samajwadi Party spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary called it Congress’s internal matter. “...our national president Akhilesh Yadav had already been saying that PM face will emerge after the elections. If Congress intends for an alliance with anyone, then anyway a democratic system should be followed about alliance partners selecting a prime ministerial candidate.”

Akhilesh Yadav has repeatedly said the next prime minister will be a “new PM and from Uttar Pradesh.”