No retirement plan, says PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said he had no plans to retire from politics as the job entrusted to him was not complete yet.

“I have been entrusted with a job, which is not complete. Till I complete the task, the question of retirement cannot arise,” the Prime Minister said while addressing his first national press conference after the United Progressive Alliance returned to power in 2009.

But Singh, who has completed six years as PM, was careful about what he said on Rahul Gandhi, scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty and a likely choice as a future PM.

Without answering a question on whether Gandhi would take over as Prime Minister mid-way through his term, Singh said Gandhi was “very qualified” to hold a post in the Union Cabinet, but had been reluctant to join his ministry. “Rahul is very qualified to hold a Cabinet post. I have discussed with him on a number of occasions, though I don’t remember exactly the date when I discussed with him last,” Singh said.

“Let me say that I sometimes feel that younger people should take over. As and when the Congress party makes that judgement, I will be very happy to make place for anybody the Congress party decides,” Singh said when asked if he would make place for Rahul Gandhi.

There have rumours that the succession plan might unveil sometime in late 2012 when the post of President will fall vacant. It had been speculated that Manmohan Singh might move to Rashtrapati Bhavan, leaving the PM’s post vacant that could be filled by Rahul Gandhi midway through the UPA’s second term.

Although Singh appeared to be uncharacteristically nervous during the press interaction — he took several sips of water, left sentences unfinished and made no attempts at humour — he made it clear that managing the Assembly elections West Bengal, Kerala, and Assam next year was not his headache.

On relations with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Singh brushed aside all speculation of a rift between the Prime Minister’s Office and the party. “There is not an iota of truth in this. Congress President is the leader of my party and I am a Congressman. There is no gap of thinking between me and the Congress president on things our government needs to do,” he said.

The Prime Minister maintained a fine distinction while defending his party colleagues — Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh for his recent criticism of the home ministry’s policy towards Chinese companies, and Home Minister P Chidambaram for saying he had a limited mandate to tackle the Naxal menace.