Rahul rules himself out as PM candidate, MPs to decide

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Friday ruled himself out as the party's prime ministerial candidate for the Lok Sabha election, saying "in a democracy MPs choose the prime minister" and this was outlined in the country's constitution.

"If you read India's constitution, it is written there that the prime minister is chosen by Members of Parliament. We are a democratic party and take democratic decisions," he said at the Congress party plenary, the All India Congress Committee, meeting at the Talkatora Stadium here.

"We will fight the elections and win but the prime minister will be elected by the party's MPs as per our constitution," he added, scotching speculation that the meet will declare him the PM candidate for the 2014 election.

His mother, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, had in the morning ruled out the party naming a prime ministerial candidate despite clamour by the party rank and file that Rahul Gandhi be named just like the BJP has named Narendra Modi their PM candidate.

Attacking Modi -- without naming him -- Gandhi said his party did not believe in the "structure of democracy to be handed over to one man".

He said the Indian constitution clearly stated that elected MPs of the victorious party would choose their prime minister after the general election.