INDIA bloc PM candidate suspense: ‘No consequences if a face is not projected,’ says Sharad Pawar

Amid the suspense over the Prime Ministerial candidate face of the INDIA bloc for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, veteran politician Sharad Pawar said that there are "no consequences if a face is not projected".

Recalling the 1977 election the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President said, "In the 1977 elections, no face was projected for PM. Later, Moraraji Desai was elected for the Prime Ministerial post. Desai's name was nowhere before the elections and in fact, a new party came into existence. Hence, there are no consequences if a face is not projected. If people are in the mood for change, they will take a call to bring about that change".

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Morarji Desai was the first non-Congress Prime Minister of India. Desai remained in the office for 856 days. He served as the fifth PM during 1977-79, leading the post-emergency government led by the Janata Party.

As the 2024 Lok Sabha elections draw near, India's political landscape is undergoing a significant reshuffling. The emerging INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) consortium is gearing up to challenge the established National Democratic Alliance, setting the stage for an electoral showdown.

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In the recently held fourth meeting of the INDIA bloc, two prominent leaders of the alliance-Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal backed Congress party President Malliakrjun Kharge's name for PM's face.

However, some news reports suggested that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav opposed his name.

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Besides, Kharge's son Priyan told the media that it would be good if his father became the Prime Ministerial candidate of the INDIA bloc, but there is a need to first face practical challenges ahead, instead of daydreaming.

"We have to first win Congress' 200-250 seats, along with that we have to together with INDIA alliance members create a favourable atmosphere and ensure that as many candidates win from their parties too; after that other questions will arise," Priyank Kharge said.

Mallikarjun Kharge's response to his name as PM candidate has remained neutral.

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"I work for the downtrodden. Let's win first, then we will see. I don't seek anything. We have to first win, and who will be the prime minister is a matter to be decided later," Kharge told media.

INDIA parties are seeking to put a united challenge against the BJP-led NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The 28 parties are addressing a range of issues before the elections such as seat-sharing, and a joint campaign blueprint.

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The INDIA bloc also passed the resolution on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the suspension of MPs from Parliament last week.