Pawar has all qualities for becoming Prime Minister: Leaders

Bengaluru, Dec 19: Praising former Union Minister Sharad Pawar, leaders of various political parties, including Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, today said the NCP leader has all the qualities for becoming the Prime Minister of the country.

"Sharad Pawar has all the qualities to become the Prime Minister of the country because he is the most experienced and successful politician the country has seen.

He has been the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on four occasions and also served in Parliament and state legislature," Siddaramaiah said while speaking on the 75th birth anniversary of Pawar.

Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister M V Rajasekaran urged Pawar to return to the "grand old party (Congress) and strengthen the hands of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi".

"Pawar has always been a Congress man. I strongly urge Pawar to return to Congress and strengthen the party and also strengthen the hands of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi," he said.

Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda said Pawar has all the qualities to become the Prime Minister and wished that such days come in the future.

"He (Pawar) has all the qualities of becoming a Prime Minister. I wish such days come in the future," he said.

Former Chief Minister and BJP national vice president B S Yeddyurappa said Siddaramaiah was right in saying that Pawar has all the capabilities of becoming Prime Minister.

Pawar was such a great leader and for most part of his political career, he has been an Agriculture minister, an important portfolio, Yeddyurappa said.

Former Union Minister Jaffer Sharief said Pawar could have been the Prime Minister of the country. "I don't know how to put it... We had taken a decision to make him the Prime Minister in 1990s. In between Shri Narasimha Rao called us and Sharad Pawar. Pawar went to discuss with Narasimha Rao. That is the end of the story. Otherwise no force on earth would have prevented Pawar to become Prime Minister," he said.

PTI