"I am not contesting the next election," said Sharad Pawar (File)
Dubbing the Karnataka Assembly election results as the "best example" of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's padayatra, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar on Monday said that people would strengthen former Wayanad MP's ideology.
"Karnataka Assembly election results are the best example of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Padyatra. Whatever one says about Rahul Gandhi, I am sure that people would strengthen Rahul Gandhi's ideology," Pawar said while addressing a press conference here.
Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi started on September 7 last year and ended in January this year- a journey of over 4,000 km spanning 150 days.
On the question of him being a Prime Minister candidate for the next general election, Sharad Pawar said that there is no chance as he will not contest the elections.
"I am not contesting the next election so where is the question of becoming a PM candidate? I am not in the race to become the Prime Minister. We want a leadership who can work for the development of the nation," he said.
He further said that his efforts are for bringing the opposition together.
"...same efforts are being made by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar," he added.
Speaking on the seat-sharing among the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners for the next year's Lok Sabha elections which is yet to be finalised, Sharad Pawar said that Shiva Sena leader (UBT faction) Uddhav Thackeray and Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi or Mallikarjun Kharge and he himself will decide.
"There has been no discussion on seat sharing yet. A meeting was held at my residence where it was discussed that leaders from all three parties (of MVA) will decide on it. Uddhav Thackeray, Sonia Gandhi or Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and I will sit together to discuss it," he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)