Sonia releases manifesto, says she won't stand for PM

Congress President Sonia Gandhi today ruled out the possibility of her becoming the party's Prime Ministerial candidate and said there was no change in her position taken in 2004 when she refused the top job.

"I had made my position (on the issue of PM's post) very clear in 2004 and there is no change in that position even now," Gandhi said when asked whether she will consider herself for Prime Ministership after the Lok Sabha polls.

CLICK ON THIS LINK TO READ CONGRESS MANIFESTO

Despite being elected as the Leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party after the 2004 elections, Gandhi had refused to take over the top job and instead given the mantle to Manmohan Singh.

To questions on the issue of Prime Ministerial candidate, Gandhi flashed the party's manifesto and pointed to Manmohan Singh's picture on its cover.

On the fate of the UPA in Bihar and UP where the Congress has failed to stitch up alliances, Gandhi said: "This is certainly not the end of the UPA."

Asked if the Congress would take the support of the Left parties after the elections, Gandhi said it was not possible for her to comment at this juncture and that the issue would be decided after the poll outcome.

To a query if the UPA was now in disarray in the Hindi belt, she said her party has decided to fight the coming Lok Sabha elections alone in some states and in some others such as West Bengal, it was contesting in a pre-poll alliance with Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress. 

On the possibility of Banerjee returning to the Congress fold, Gandhi said at present, her party was only having an alliance with TC in West Bengal. There is "no other position", she said.

On UPA partners making adverse remarks against her party colleagues, but refraining from pointing a finger at her, Gandhi said: "I have not heard any comment about me and my party. You have to enlighten me."