Rahul can become PM: Pranab

NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi can become Prime Minister as early as after the Lok Sabha elections due soon if there was a suitable mandate, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee indicated on Saturday.

Mukherjee, whose statement that days are not far off for Rahul who “may follow the footsteps of his father to become the Prime Minister”, two days back, led to a chorus of demand, reiterated his remarks today in an interview to a news channel.

His comments came close on the heels of AICC’s assertion that it was up to Rahul to decide the timing of assuming the leadership of the country.

Doing a delicate balancing act, the AICC had also said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has done well on every front.

“Who knows he may follow the footsteps of his father one day..when Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister at the age of early forties,” Mukherjee said in the interview today.

To a question whether he believes that Rahul has the potential to become the PM, Mukherjee said he could not say who will be the potential and who would not be potential Prime Minister.

“There is a potentiality in a number of people. India has a number of persons who have the Prime Ministerial material…..who have the potential,” he added.

To another question, Mukherjee today said “it depends on which political party or parties are going to have majority in our Parliamentary system.”

“After the election, how the elected MPs are going to choose their leader…..these are unavoidable steps one will have to take,” he added.

On Friday, Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed had said “it is true that Rahul Gandhi has all the qualifications which are necessary to lead the country. All feel that way.

Earlier the AICC had declared Rahul as the third pole in the party after Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Union Minister Arjun Singh had said last year that there was “no harm” in making Rahul the Prime Minister of the country, a comment which did not find favour with the AICC. Party General Secretary Digvijay Singh said “Rahul is fully competent to occupy the post of Prime Minister.”

Those associated with Gandhi and Congress say he is the “Unique Selling Proposition” (USP) of the party in a country which has 65 percent of its population below the age of 38.

The young brigade in Congress rallies around him and hails him as their leader, inside and outside Parliament. This group comprises Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada, Sachin Pilot, Milind Deora and Sandeep Dikshit among others.