Sena asks if Oppn intends to have new PM face every 6 months

Slamming NCP chief Sharad Pawar over his comments on prime ministerial candidates if the BJP does not get the required mandate in the Lok Sabha polls, the Shiv Sena Tuesday sought to know if the opposition intends to have a new prime minister every 6 months.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said neither BSP supremo Mayawati, Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, NCP chief Sharad Pawar nor Congress president Rahul Gandhi will become prime minister.

"There can be only one prime minister and that is Narendra Modi ji. Who does the opposition have who is credible enough to become prime minister? Or does the opposition plan to have a new face every 6 months in the name of a stable government," Raut told PTI.

Pawar had recently backed Banerjee, Naidu and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati as top contenders for the post of prime minister if the NDA fails to win a majority after the Lok Sabha elections.

Explaining the rationale behind his picks, Pawar had told a TV channel that like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his three choices too have been chief ministers of their states, giving administrative experience the most weightage for his choices.

Raut claimed Pawar later took a U-turn and said he had named the three when asked who apart from Congress president Rahul Gandhi could be a contender for the top post.

"However, his explanation now seems hollow. His earlier statement proves he does not have faith in the Congress or Rahul Gandhi," Raut said.

Meanwhile, in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Shiv Sena took a swipe at Pawar.

Like Pawar announced support to the BJP after the 2014 Maharashtra Assembly elections for the sake of a "stable government", nobody would be surprised if the NCP chief decides to support the Amit Shah-led party if the ruling party fell short of a majority by a few seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it said.