Any decision on prime ministerial candidate by consensus: SP
Even as Congress President Sonia Gandhi gave indications of projecting Manmohan Singh as the party's Prime Ministerial candidate in next general election, Samajwadi Party on Saturday chose to be cautious on the issue.
By PTI |
NEW DELHI : Even as Congress President Sonia Gandhi gave indications of projecting Manmohan Singh as the party's Prime Ministerial candidate in next general election, Samajwadi Party which helped the government sail through the crucial trust vote chose to be cautious on the sensitive issue.
Though Samajwadi Party had earlier said that Singh would be the best choice, it preferred to avoid giving a direct comment on Gandhi's statement.
Senior SP leader and Chief Whip in Lok Sabha Mohan Singh said that any consensus on the Prime Ministerial candidate could be made only after the party formally joins the Congress-led UPA coalition.
"Such decisions are made on the basis of consensus... we will go by the consensus once the SP formally joins the UPA," he added.
SP general secretary Amar Singh, after giving his party's letter of support to the President ahead of the July 22 trust vote, had clearly stated that his party would contest the next Lok Sabha elections under the leadership of Manmohan Singh.
The issue of SP joining the UPA has been hanging fire with Congress and the Mulayam Singh-led party still making no breakthrough on the crucial issue of seat-sharing arrangement in Uttar Pradesh for the general elections due shortly.
Amar Singh recently indicated that though he was not keen on joining the Manmohan Cabinet, party workers thought that joining the government would help the party.
When reporters on Friday asked Gandhi at the AICC headquarters whether Manmohan Singh would unfurl the national flag next year from Red Fort, she said. "Certainly, I am saying."
Though Samajwadi Party had earlier said that Singh would be the best choice, it preferred to avoid giving a direct comment on Gandhi's statement.
Senior SP leader and Chief Whip in Lok Sabha Mohan Singh said that any consensus on the Prime Ministerial candidate could be made only after the party formally joins the Congress-led UPA coalition.
"Such decisions are made on the basis of consensus... we will go by the consensus once the SP formally joins the UPA," he added.
SP general secretary Amar Singh, after giving his party's letter of support to the President ahead of the July 22 trust vote, had clearly stated that his party would contest the next Lok Sabha elections under the leadership of Manmohan Singh.
The issue of SP joining the UPA has been hanging fire with Congress and the Mulayam Singh-led party still making no breakthrough on the crucial issue of seat-sharing arrangement in Uttar Pradesh for the general elections due shortly.
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Amar Singh recently indicated that though he was not keen on joining the Manmohan Cabinet, party workers thought that joining the government would help the party.
When reporters on Friday asked Gandhi at the AICC headquarters whether Manmohan Singh would unfurl the national flag next year from Red Fort, she said. "Certainly, I am saying."
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