Election Result: No question of PM stepping down: Sonia

NEW DELHI: There was no question of the prime minister stepping down, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said Wednesday after the party's dismal show in state elections and stressed that the results will not "damage" the UPA government.

"The question does not arise," Gandhi said when asked if there was a possibility of Manmohan Singh stepping down and the Congress selecting another leader for the post.

"I do not think the results will damage the UPA ( United Progressive Alliance) government," Gandhi told reporters outside her residence after reviewing the results in five states with party leaders here.

Asked who would be the party's candidate for prime minister in the Lok Sabha elections of 2014, she said: "This is 2012."

The party came a poor fourth in Uttar Pradesh, barely scraped past the BJP in Uttarakhand and lost in Goa and Punjab. The only silver lining was Manipur where it retained power.