New Delhi: Asserting that the INDIA bloc will get a "decisive mandate" in the Lok Sabha elections, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on May 30 that it may take less than 48 hours to decide on the alliance's prime ministerial pick. The veteran Congressman added that the party that gets maximum seats will be a "natural claimant" for leadership.
Ramesh told PTI news agency that the INDIA bloc will get seats above the 272 needed for a majority in the Lower House, adding that parties in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) may join the coalition when the INDIA parties come to power.
Last week, Ramesh had said the bloc would reveal the prime minister's name three days after the declaration of the election results, as he assured that they will have one prime minister for the entire five-year term. The remarks came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned in his election rallies that the INDIA bloc plans to have five prime ministers in five years if it comes to power.
When asked whether Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be the PM face, Ramesh told ANI: "It is not a beauty contest between persons. We are a party-based democracy. The question is which party or alliance will get the mandate... Parties get the majority. Party chooses their leader and that leader becomes the PM".
According to sources, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has convened the meeting of the INDIA bloc leaders on June 1, coinciding with the last round of polling, where the PM candidate is likely to be decided. Earlier this month, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray stated that a decision on the PM candidate has already been made by the alliance.
