"Projecting PM Candidate May Break INDIA Bloc Unity": Mallikarjun Kharge To NDTV

In an exclusive interview to NDTV, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has made it clear that the Congress is against projecting any individual as a prime ministerial candidate from the INDIA alliance against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Mr Kharge said it is better to first get elected and then parties can meet and decide who will be the candidate.

"This will ensure all are together in the run-up to the general election," Mr Kharge told NDTV.

The Congress has said it is speaking to all INDIA partners like Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, among others, to explain the state elections are crucial for the party, which is why they have to take a break from INDIA bloc meetings.

Mr Kharge said the need to have an alliance and work together as a team was felt to fight the BJP.

The Congress president also made it clear the state units of his party are against any alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

He said the AAP could consider supporting and fighting together in the alliance in the same manner the Left parties are doing at the national level, despite the Congress and the Left parties being arch rivals in Kerala.

Mr Kharge's clear position of not projecting a prime ministerial candidate is a clear indication that Rahul Gandhi is not in the picture for the PM post.

Sources in the party have indicated Mr Gandhi is not keen on being projected as PM candidate too. "The Congress wants to forge unity among all parties to fight unitedly as far as possible in the general elections," Mr Kharge said.