Priyanka Gandhi

Priyanka finally says maybe to politics; Rahul to be PM

Prashun Bhaumik |

Priyanka Gandhi

By Our Correspondent

She has turned down the crown repeatedly. But on Sunday, Priyanka finally conceded that she has realised that she should never say never to politics.

Campaigning for her brother Rahul in Amethi on Sunday, Priyanka gave her brother a big thumbs up as the future prime minister of the country.

Amethi goes to poll on April 23. She said though Manmohan Singh is the Congress candidate for the top job this time, it is only a matter of time before Rahul takes over the mantle.

Asked about contesting elections herself, she replied by saying “never say never” in politics. Grandaughter of Indira Gandhi, Priyanka has been credited of having inherited the political acumen, charm and presence of her grand-mother. A long-standing demand by the Youth Congress for her to join politics to re-energise the party on the downslide has been politely turned down repeatedly by the 36-year-old Gandhi, who chose instead to raise a family and concentrate on social service. It seems Priyanka is ready to relent.

“As I am growing older, I’m realising that ‘never’ is a bad thing to say. So I’m not going to say never,” Priyanka said, who had till now clearly refused to join politics and had only campaigned for her mother Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and brother.

I don’t feel that (joining politics) is what I would do,” she said as an after thought when pestered by media-persons on a question hanging for years now. In fact, on an earlier visit to Amethi, when asked the same question a smiling Priyanka had replied: “You have been asking me this question for 20 years now.” Seems it has played on her mind.

On brother Rahul slipping into the top job, she said, “I have full faith in my brother. He is hard working. He means well. He is, according to me, qualified…. So, one day he will (become prime minister). He will do a good job of it.” Priyanka said: “He (Manmohan Singh) is hopefully the next prime minister of the country and Rahul is also a capable and responsible Congress worker.”

Priyanka also didn’t waste the opportunity to launch an attack on the Samajwadi Party labeling them as narrow-minded and their manifesto, weird. “I have never seen such a weird document and I want to know who has written the Samajwadi Party manifesto,” she said.

Rahul Gandhi has not shown any sign yet on whether he was going to shed his eternal bachelor tag soon but younger sister Priyanka says it would be “great” to see the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family tie the knot.

Priyanka feels her 38-year-old brother should take the matrimonial plunge for that would lessen her “burden” as she does his little chores at home. Priyanka’s response came when reporters asked whether she would like to see Rahul as a prime minister or a married man.

“Definitely Rahul as a brother. As a married man would be great because that would take some of the burden off me because I end up doing all his little chores at home. So that would be great,” she said.

About seeing Rahul as prime minister, Priyanka said, “as a prime minister I have no such ambition (for him). I mean if he does become one day, I’ll be very happy for him. But it is not something we hope for.”