Mumbai: Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Sunday refused to comment on Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s statement that he would like to see him as the Prime Minister.
When asked about the same at a press conference here this morning, Pawar said, “This (event) is to make announcement about the Krishi Vasant exhibition, and I am not contesting the Lok Sabha election.”
On Sunday during a public interaction with editors of a Marathi newspaper in his hometown Solapur, Shinde had said he would be happy if Pawar became the Prime Minister.
“I would be happy if Pawar becomes the PM. He is my political guru. I entered the politics because of him,” Shinde said.
Meanwhile, after Shinde threw his weight behind NCP chief Sharad Pawar saying he would be happy to see him as prime minister, the Union Home Minister has gone back on his remark.
Shinde, while speaking to media, said if a Maharashtrian becomes prime minister then he will feel good.
“I told reporters that Mr Pawar is from Maharashtra and a friend. If a PM is from Maharashtra then I will feel good,” Shinde said late last evening.
He, however, later cleared the air that Congress’ main aim is make the party vice-president Rahul Gandhi as the next prime minister.
Pawar, who was with Congress but parted ways on the issue of Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origin issue, last week had made it clear that he will not be contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha polls , but instead will stand for the Rajya Sabha. (Agencies)
