Mumbai:
Despite the furore over his latest googly - that Rahul Gandhi is ready for Prime Ministership - Digvijaya Singh refused to retract his statement in an interview to NDTV. Speaking to Sreenivasan Jain, the Congress General Secretary said that while there is no need to replace Dr Manmohan Singh, who is doing "a fairly good job," Rahul Gandhi has the competence to be PM. Mr Singh also said India needs a young Prime Minister. (Watch the entire interview on Saturday at 9.30 pm IST on NDTV Profit).
This is an excerpt of the interview.
NDTV: Should he (Rahul) be PM?
Digvijaya Singh: So I will say he has the capacity and the capability and the political instinct to become a good PM.
NDTV: It seems what you have said is that, "I think it's time that Rahul becomes the PM." I'm just quoting from the PTI interview.
Digvijaya Singh: For God's sake, please quote me from the exact... from the television interview that I have given, see the bytes, don't see the statements.
NDTV: But you think he has the competence to be the PM?
Digvijaya Singh: I have said that he has the competence and the ability and has got the political instinct to make a good PM - and I said I will be very happy to see him as a PM in my lifetime.
NDTV: But you are not saying it is time he becomes PM - meaning he should become PM right now?
Digvijaya Singh: No, no, I am not saying that. Because there is no vacancy and Dr Manmohan Singh is doing a fairly good job. Why should he be replaced?
NDTV: But Mr Singh, you at least concede that your comments could have been taken amiss by the PM?
Digvijaya Singh: You must understand that I have never said anything which is not based on facts and which I have said without being convinced myself.
NDTV: Mr. Singh there is a more charitable view of your candour, that you don't mind saying things that other people might hold back from. And when you said that, many believe that it was an indirect criticism of the government and the manner in which it has been running. You have been very vocal about it on issues of handling corruption and so on - but on this issue, it seems what you are saying is that 'Look, perhaps it's time for a younger and a new leadership.'"
Digvijaya Singh: Well, the Congress party has encouraged young leadership. In fact, I was appointed as a Pradesh Congress President in MP at the age of 38. And if you see even the first Lok Sabha had the lowest age of the Members of Parliament, so it's nothing new for the Congress party. From Pandit Nehru to Sonia Gandhi, we have encouraged young people to come up.
NDTV: So we should have a young Prime Minister?
Digvijaya Singh: Yes, we should.