New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday proposed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s name as the prime ministerial candidate of opposition bloc INDIA, but the veteran Congress leader said it is important to win first and everything else can be decided later.
Sources, however, said there was no final decision on the issue.
After his name was proposed as a candidate to become the country’s first Dalit prime minister at a meeting attended by 28 opposition leaders here, Kharge said, “I work for the downtrodden. Let’s win first, then we will see. I don’t seek anything.”
MDMK leader Vaiko said after the meeting that Kharge’s name was proposed by Banerjee and Kejriwal.
Let us win first: Kharge
Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge stressed that any decision on the prime ministerial candidate will be taken after the elections.
Sources said INDIA bloc parties have decided to finalise seat sharing by the second week of January.
Addressing a press conference after a meeting of top leaders of the INDIA bloc here, Kharge said, “All INDIA parties unanimously decided how to take the alliance forward. At least 8-10 meetings will be done together across the country.”
“If alliance members don’t come on the same stage people will not come to know of the alliance. Everyone agreed to it,” he said.
The Congress president said seat-sharing talks will be held at the state level, and if any issues arise, INDIA bloc leadership will address them.
“Whether Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Bihar, UP, Delhi or Punjab, the issues on seat sharing will be resolved,” he said.
Asked about the prime ministerial face of the alliance, he said, “We have to win first, and think what to do to win. What is the point in discussing PM before having MPs. We will try to get a majority together”.
