My temperament is not of a central leader: Parrikar

Goa CM says honesty not the only quality required for governance at the Centre

Maintaining that he did not have the temperament of a central leader, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today said honesty is not the only quality required for governance at the Centre.

"My temperament is not that of a central leader," Parrikar said, while responding to a question of youths at a gathering here on whether he would like to be the country's Prime Minister at some point of his political career.

"I personally feel honesty is not the only quality that is required to be a central leader. You need to do several other things to be a central politician, which I am not ready for," the senior BJP leader said, without elaborating further.

He, however, said that taking up the job at the Centre would also depend on circumstances at that particular point of time, when he receives such an offer.

"For example, if there is a India-Pakistan war and I am called to play a role at the Centre, I will rush there the next minute because nation would be requiring me," he said.

Describing BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi as a "pragmatic leader", the Goa Chief Minister urged people not to be influenced by campaigning of people who does not want the Gujarat leader to be the PM of the nation.

"Modi is a very pragmatic leader and for last 12 years he is heading a perfectly governed state," he said.

"Don't go by the campaigning of certain section of people who do not want Modi to be the Prime Minister for their own comforts," Parrikar added.