M A I N   N E W S

Happy to work under Rahul in party: PM
On Board PM’s Special Aircraft

September 7
Virtually ruling himself out of the prime ministership race after the 2014 elections, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said Rahul Gandhi was an "ideal choice" for the post and he was ready to work under him in the Congress.

"I have always maintained that Rahul Gandhi would be an ideal choice for the PM post after 2014 elections (Lok Sabha).

“I will be very happy to work in the Congress under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi," the Prime Minister told reporters accompanying him on board the special Air India aircraft on his way home after attending the G20 summit in the Russian city of St Petersburg.

Eighty-year-old Singh was replying to a question on whether it is possible for him to seek a third term on the grounds that many in the Congress would like to see Rahul, vice-president of the Congress, to lead the party.

Manmohan Singh also did not rule out any alliances with erstwhile ally Trinamool Congress in the future, saying in politics, there are no permanent enemies and permanent friends.

He was asked whether the Congress would seek an alliance with the Trinamool for the upcoming parliamentary elections. "In politics, there are no permanent enemies and permanent friends. And in many ways, a week in politics is sometimes an unusually long period of time," he said, adding, "So, I don't rule out, for example, alliances."

Noting that Mamata Banerjee was a very respectable member of the Congress at one time, the Prime Minister said the Congress was also very happy to have her in the UPA government. Manmohan Singh said the Congress would very much like like-minded, secular-minded persons to work again to give the country's polity a thrust in favour of secular elements. — PTI 

Will meet Sharif if Pak stops terror acts

Manmohan Singh said Islamabad has to create the right atmosphere for a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif as officials are preparing the ground for their possible engagement in New York later this month. "Under normal conditions, I will be happy to meet Nawaz Sharif. But there are certain harsh realities on the ground. If terror acts don't stop....If there is no significant progress in bringing the 26/11 culprits oto book, then, these I have to factor in before arriving at a final decision.” - IANS

I have always maintained that Rahul Gandhi would be an ideal choice for the PM post after 2014 elections
—Manmohan Singh, pm