Any 'sewak' can become Prime Minister: Shiv Sena on Rahul's PM ambition

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Tuesday dubbed Rahul's remark as "immature".

The Shiv Sena has backed Rahul Gandhi, who was criticised by the BJP for openly expressing his prime ministerial ambitions, and said that "every person has the right to dream of becoming the Prime Minister."

Even on Wednesday (May 9), BJP's bickering ally Shiv Sena said it was the Congress president's democratic right to express his stand and no one should make fun of it.

"In this country, every person has the right to dream of becoming the Prime Minister. If Modi ji calls himself a 'pradhan sewak' then any 'sewak' of this country can become the Prime Minister," Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut told ANI on Thursday (May 10).

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Tuesday dubbed Rahul's remark as "immature", adding that Congress president's comment may push other parties away from forging an alliance with the grand old party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a rally in Karnataka today (May 9), termed Rahul's remark as "nothing but arrogance."

Amid blistering attack by the BJP, former finance minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday came out in defence of Rahul and his party.

"Last time when Rajnath was party president, the posters saying 'Abki bar BJP sarkar' were replaced overnight by 'Abki bar Modi sarkar'. We are not like them, we aren't saying 'Rahul ki sarkar'. We are fighting for 'Congress Sarkar'," News 18 quoted Chidambaram as saying.

Rahul Gandhi who was in Bengaluru on May 8 was responding to questions by journalists on whether he was willing to become the PM if the the Congress gets the numbers in 2019. "If the Congress wins with the single largest majority, then why not," he said.

It was the first time that Rahul Gandhi openly expressed his interest in taking up the mantle. Although he was an MP when the UPA was in power, he did not join the cabinet led by Dr. Manmohan Singh. He officially took over as the president of the Congress from his mother Sonia Gandhi in December ahead of the Gujarat elections.