Rahul has experience as two-time MP, Cong tells Pawar

New Delhi, Oct 25: Congress today refrained from directly reacting to NCP leader Sharad Pawar's advice for Rahul Gandhi that he should gain administrative experience first before trying to become prime minister although the party did point out that its vice-president had gathered "experience" as a two-time MP.

"Pawar ji is a senior leader of the country. Congress will not like to comment on his televised interview. But Rahul has his own experience of becoming Lok Sabha MP for two terms," party spokesperson Randeep Singh Soorjewala told reporters. There was some discomfiture in Congress over Pawar's remarks.

Pawar had said that Rahul should gain administrative experience

A leader speaking on condition of anonymity said, "as far as learning is concerned, you learn till you die". Union Minister Salman Khurshid, speaking separately, said that said such doubts were not raised when the late Chandrasekhar became Prime Minister without having occupied any public office before.

In a television interview, Pawar had said that Rahul should gain administrative experience by becoming a minister before he was made prime minister.

He had reportedly also noted that Rahul should first prove his mettle in administration first, saying he would have liked the scion of the Gandhi family to have joined the Manmohan Singh government with a view to gaining experience in governance.

PTI