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Indore: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said Sonia Gandhi should have become prime minister when the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) came to power in 2004 and the Congress party led by Rahul Gandhi could not grow.
Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, Athawale said: âWhen Sonia Gandhi was elected to Lok Sabha, I proposed to the UPA that she be appointed prime minister. When Congress had a majority, she was the candidate capable of coming to power. But now the party cannot grow under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, âhe added.
Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment and President of the Republican Party of India (RPI) said: âIf Kamala Harris can become Vice President of the United States, then why Sonia Gandhi could she not be an Indian citizen, wife of Rajiv Gandhi and elected deputy of Lok Sabha, now Prime Minister.
He also said that if Sonia Gandhi was unwilling to accept the post of prime minister, she should have made Sharad Pawar the next most suitable candidate for prime minister instead of Manmohan Singh.
âIf Sharad Pawar had been appointed Prime Minister instead of Manmohan Singh earlier, the situation in Congress would not have been so bad. The party had insulted Pawar on several occasions, âAthawale said.
The minister further suggested that Pawar and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis form a coalition government with his RPI party in Maharashtra. He also extended the alliance proposal to Shiv Sena as well.
âToday, Shiv Sena is the target of Congress, so the party can form a coalition with my party. Thereafter, Uddhav Thackeray and Fadnavis can serve as chief minister for 2.5 years each. If they don’t both agree, then I can become the chief minister, âAthawale said.
Speaking on speculation by former Punjab chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh joining the BJP-led NDA, Athawale said the Punjabic Congress had insulted its leader in recent days, which has led to his resignation.
Athawala also called on Amarinder Singh to join the BJP National Democratic Alliance.
âNo other part can benefit the captain now. He should join the BJP-led NDA as that is the only option that will benefit him, âAthawale said.
Amarinder Singh recently resigned as Chief Minister of the Punjab after a prolonged power struggle within the Congressional State Unity with infighting between him and the head of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) , Navjot Singh Sidhu.
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