Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday said that he was completely confident about the fact that the next prime minister of the country would be from the incumbent and ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA), and warned that having the BJP's Narendra Modi as the next head of government, would be a "disaster".
Replying to a question posed by a television correspondent, who asked whether Dr. Singh did now see a straight electoral contest between Modi and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for the post of prime minister, the former replied: "I am fully confident that the next prime minister of India will be from the UPA. And, I do believe, that having Mr. Modi, whatever his merit, as the Prime Minister, will be a disaster for India."
The year 2014 is going to be the most important year for India's prominent politicians and their supporters. Their future depends on their performance in the Lok Sabha elections due in April-May.
From BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, 2014 will be very crucial.
For Modi, 2014 will be politically an important year for him. If he manages to bring the BJP-led NDA to power after 2014 Lok Sabha elections under his leadership, he will be the winner. If he fails, he is unlikely to get a second chance.
A victory guarantees him the the post of Prime Minister. A defeat can even unseat him from the post of Gujarat Chief Minister.
Modi has to fight the Congress, regional parties and the Aam Aadmi Party to realize his dream of ruling India
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Rahul Gandhi, on the other hand, has so far been the reluctant, yet unofficial prime ministerial candidate of the Congress.
He is facing the most difficult challenge in his 10-year-long political career.
The party's rank and file is rattled by shocking defeat in the recent assembly polls. Scams are also troubling his party.
The mood in the grand old party is anything, but confident. The party is forcing him to take the plunge.
If he manages to win at least a respectable number of seats in the Lok Sabha polls, he can remain relevant in Indian politics. If he loses, the knives could be out and his own party may demand that his sister Priyanka Gandhi must take charge.