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Manmohan is my PM candidate, says Rahul Gandhi

February 14, 2009 21:22 IST
Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi said on Saturday that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would be "his
prime ministerial candidate" in the coming Lok Sabha polls.
    
In a reply to a question on whether he will be United Progressive Alliance's prime ministerial candidate in the coming Lok Sabha elections, Gandhi said, "I have answered this question many times in the past. Dr Manmohan Singh is the Prime Minister from the Congress and UPA."

"My prime ministerial candidate for the coming Lok Sabha elections is Manmohan Singh," Gandhi told media-persons in Surat.
    
The Congress general secretary said as far as he is concerned, he has taken up the role to revive the Youth Congress, attract large number of youths in politics and Congress and involve them in nation building exercise.
    
On his three-day visit to Gujarat, Gandhi is travelling in Saurashtra, Central and South Gujarat districts, meeting students, inspecting the drive of the Youth Congress to recruit new members and looking after the preparation of its
elections.
    
In a reply to a question on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's remark that the country needs to be freed from
a family rule, Rahul said, "Modi has many views and he is entitled to having his own views." Replying to a question on Pakistan's response to the Indian dossier, Gandhi said, "We are interested in results on the issue of terrorism."
 
Gandhi, who is also in-charge of Youth Congress, said he is working to build youth wing of the party as a totally democratic organisation by holding elections in them.
 
"I am trying to attract maximum youths to politics and nation building exercise," Gandhi said, adding that he wanted
to build Youth Congress cadre democratically from a stretch. It (Youth Congress) will be a complete democratic organisation which no other party has done so far," he added.
 
Speaking on M S University withdrawing permission to hold his programme in its campus, Gandhi said, "they might
have tried to stop me but I went there and talked to so many youngsters and students and I had better time talking and
getting their feedback on various issues."
 
When asked about his Valentine, Gandhi said, "I do not elieve in Valentine's Day, at the same time I have no problem
with people celebrating it. There should not be one day to show that you care for somebody."
 
Speaking on National Knowledge Commission report, he said, it is forward looking report and must be implemented for improving education system of the country."
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