Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Tariq Anwar on Sunday said Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar is not in the race for the prime minister’s post.
“Pawar is not at all in the race for the prime minister’s post,” Anwar, NCP general secretary and considered close to Pawar, told media persons here.
Anwar said Pawar has the capability and all the qualities required for the post and his experience in public life is second to none among all political leaders in the country. But, in parliamentary democracy, it is the number game that decides who becomes the prime minister. “Pawar has everything in his favour except the numbers that is most important,” he said.
Anwar downplayed senior Congress leader and Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s statement on Saturday that he would be happy to see his political mentor Pawar becoming the prime minister.
Published 12 January 2014, 20:00 IST