Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Sharad Pawar Says Mamata Banerjee, Chandrababu Naidu, Mayawati Among Top PM Contenders in Fray

Mumbai, April 28: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar, despite inking a pre-poll pact with the Congress for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2019 in Maharashtra, has refrained to back Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate if the BJP-led coalition loses power. On the contrary, he has lend weight behind Opposition leaders contesting the polls without any alliance.

According to Pawar, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee and former Uttar Pradesh CM Mayawati are among the top PM contenders in fray. Manohar Parrikar's Son Hits Out at Sharad Pawar For 'Insensitive' Comments on His Late Father

The former Union Minister, while speaking to TOI, said the NDA will not be able to cross the majority mark, which would allow the Opposition parties to unite and form a coalition government if elected to power.

"In my opinion, since the possibility of the National Democratic Alliance securing a clear majority is remote, Banerjee, Naidu and Mayawati are better options for the prime minister’s post," he was quoted as saying.

Justifying his picks for the coveted post, Pawar said the TDP, TMC and BSP supremos have a multiple-tenure experience as chief ministers, which makes them better poised to discharge the duty of an effective administrator.

Pawar, however, told the daily that he was inaccurately quoted earlier by a news channel as claiming that he does not consider Congress chief Rahul Gandhi a prime minister material.

The NCP supremo further added that the Gandhi scion himself has stated that he is not in the PM race. "So any debate on that point is irrelevant," Pawar said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 28, 2019 04:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).