‘100 per cent’ see Rahul Gandhi as PM when Congress comes to power: Singhvi

Senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi on Monday, 2 September, said he sees leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi as a future prime minister and asserted that he earned "this right" to assume the post whenever the party comes to power.

Singhvi hailed him for walking the talk, saying Rahul Gandhi means what he says and says what he means.

Asked about Rahul Gandhi assuming the mantle of leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha and whether he sees him as a future prime minister, the four-time MP said, "Forgot me, ask BJP friends. All this trolling you used to see, why is there admiration even though it is a grudging admiration, because you realise that (they were) lampooning a sincere person, lampooning a person who is direct, forthright and conceptual, not fluffy at the edges, rhetorical, political, big words. The sincerity is coming through and people are realising it."

"People realise he walks the talk, literally. People realise he means what he says and says what he means. It's exactly the opposite of what the prime minister does. So I think this whole concept and equation is changing," he told PTI.

On whether he sees Rahul Gandhi as a future prime minister, Singhvi said, "Whenever the Congress comes (to power), '100 per cent'."

The Congress spokesperson said he does not think anyone can deny Rahul Gandhi this right if the party comes to power as he earned it.

"When the Congress comes to power, he has earned this right, he can rightfully make a claim to the prime minister's post," Singhvi added.

Rahul Gandhi, who has been an MP for five terms and currently represents the Rae Bareli constituency previously held by his mother Sonia Gandhi, assumed the mantle of leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha in June after the general elections.

He won from two constituencies in the polls but vacated the Wayanad seat in Kerala, from where his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will contest a bypoll.

Rahul Gandhi entered the Lok Sabha for the first time in 2004 following his victory from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.