'Rahul Gandhi is our PM candidate': Shinde

Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Wednesday said Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi would be the ruling party's candidate for the Prime Minister's post in 2014.

"Rahul Gandhi is our candidate for the Prime Minister's post", Shinde told media here, while asserting that the same has been conveyed earlier also.

The Home Minister's remark came just days after Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said that he was ready to work under Rahul Gandhi's leadership.

Dr. Singh had earlier on Saturday said Rahul Gandhi would be an ideal choice for the Prime Minister's post after the 2014 general elections.

"I have always maintained that Rahul Gandhiji would be an ideal choice for Prime Minister's post after 2014 elections," Dr. Singh said onboard Air India One, when asked if he would be looking to run for a third term in office.

"I would be happy to work for the Congress party under the leadership of Mr. Rahul Gandhi," he added during his media interaction while returning home from the G20 Summit in St. Petersburg.

The remarks have come at a time when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is gearing up to name Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the party's Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2014 polls.

As per reports, the BJP could make the announcement on September 13 after a meeting of the party's parliamentary board.

Modi has so far been critical of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi.

He even took a jibe at Dr. Singh on Tuesday over his remark that he is ready to work under Rahul Gandhi's leadership.

"Do we know what issues the Prime Minister raised in G20 Summit? When he came back, he only said who he wants to work under," said the BJP's campaign committee chief for 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Modi, who is leaving no stone unturned to win the election battle for the BJP both in the state and Centre, said the people of the country now regret their decisions that they made five years ago.

"The people told me that we made a mistake five years ago and we will correct that mistake of the last election," he said.