Rahul Gandhi's 'less consistency' an issue, says Sharad Pawar

Pune: Key ally NCP chief NCP chief Sharad Pawar has said Rahul Gandhi seems to lack "consistency" to some extent, while commenting on the former Congress president's credentials as national leader.

Pawar, however, took exception to Barack Obama's unflattering comments on the Congress leader during an interview with Lokmat Media chairman and former MP Vijay Darda on Thursday..

When asked if the country was ready to accept Rahul Gandhi as leader, Pawar said, "There are some questions in this regard. There seems to be less consistency.


Obama, in his recently published memoir, has said that the Congress leader appeared to be like a student eager to impress the teacher but lacking aptitude and passion to master the subject. Asked about this, Pawar said it was not necessary that we should accept everybody's view.

"I can say anything about the leadership in our country. But I will not talk about the leadership in another country. One should maintain that limit....I think Obama crossed that limit," he said.

Asked about the Congress's future and if Rahul Gandhi was becoming a "hurdle" for the party, Pawar said the leadership of any party depends on what kind of acceptance he or she has within the organisation.

"Though I had differences with (Congress chief) Sonia Gandhi and the family, even today Congressmen have a sense of affection for the Gandhi-Nehru family," the NCP chief, who quit the Congress over the leadership issue two decades ago, said.