Rahul Gandhi's future good but only as LoP, his PM dream unlikely to be fulfilled, says Ramdas Athawale

Gwalior: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Sunday took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi by saying his future is very good but it would only take him till the post of Leader of Opposition and not prime minister.

Gandhi's dream of becoming prime minister was unlikely to be fulfilled, Athawale told reporters here.

"Rahul Gandhi's future is very good, but as Leader of Opposition. It is difficult for him to become prime minister," the minister said.

"I want to say that Rahul Gandhi's dream of becoming prime minister will not be fulfilled as long as I am with Narendra Modi," he said in a lighter vein. Athwale's Republican Party of India (A) is part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

The Union minister for social justice and empowerment said the BJP had registered major victories in the recent assembly polls, including in West Bengal, and the Congress would find it difficult to secure a majority (in Parliament) on its own in the future.