Have no problem with woman PM candidate: Deve Gowda

Bengaluru, Aug 6: Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda clarified that he has no problem if the Congress proposes a woman prime ministerial candidate in 2019 general elections.

Speaking to ANI in Bengaluru on the likely prime ministerial candidate, Deve Gowda said, "First, Congress said Rahul Gandhi will be PM candidate. A PTI correspondent said Congress will propose Mamata Banerjee or Mayawati as PM candidate as they want a woman candidate, I told the journalist, I will have no problem with it."

In an interview with PTI, Gowda said, 'Most welcome if Mamata is projected as PM. Indira Gandhi ruled as prime minister for 17 years. Why should we (men) alone become PM? Why not Mamata or Mayawati?". However, he said that Congress will play an important role in forging opposition unity to challenge the Narendra Modi-led BJP government to come back to power in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Last month, the Congress pitched for party president Rahul Gandhi as its prime ministerial candidate for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls but, the party indicated that it was not averse to accepting a nominee for the top post from any Opposition alliance who does not have the backing of the RSS.

Top Congress sources told reporters said that to prevent the BJP from coming back to power in 2019, the Congress will look to cobble up alliances with various parties in states.