145;Dr Singh146;s right choice, selection mode not right146;

Former Lok Sabha Speaker and Nationalist Trinamool Congress leader P.A. Sangma today hailed the choice of Manmohan Singh as the new Prime Mi...

Former Lok Sabha Speaker and Nationalist Trinamool Congress leader P.A. Sangma today hailed the choice of Manmohan Singh as the new Prime Minister, praised him for his intellect and honesty, but found fault with the manner in which he had been selected for the top job.

Sangma told reporters: 8216;8216;This is an excellent choice, but I feel he should have been chosen in a more democratic manner. Giving an impression that he is a nominated prime minister is not in good taste.8217;8217;

The former Speaker said running a coalition is not easy. There are already some signals worth noticing. There is a 8216;8216;signal8217;8217; in the way the PM is selected. There is a 8216;8216;signal8217;8217; in the way ministers are being chosen. He added: 8216;8216;Laloo Prasad Yadav is going to Bihar. This is also one signal.8217;8217;

Asked on a demand from a section of his own party to walk out of the NDA, Sangma said: 8216;8216;We have resolved to continue to remain in NDA.8217;8217; As for reasons for the NDA defeat, he said: 8216;8216;We have not analysed them, but I think it was due to the BJP8217;s overconfidence.8217;8217;

He ruled out his return to the Congress after Sonia Gandhi8217;s decision to forgo the prime ministership. He said, 8216;8216;I belong to another party.8217;8217;

He termed Sonia8217;s decision 8216;8216;wise8217;8217; and said the mood generated by the issue 8216;8216;fully vindicated my stand8217;8217;.

The MP from Tura recalled that it was on this issue that he was 8216;8216;thrown out8217;8217; of Congress, resigned from the Constitution Review Commission, 8216;8216;parted ways8217;8217; with NCP chief Sharad Pawar and had to face the 8216;8216;toughest fight8217;8217; in this polls.

Story continues below this ad

To a question why the NDA did not amend the Constitution to prevent a person of foreign origin from occupying top posts, he said: 8216;8216;The BJP missed that opportunity.8217;8217; He, however, said Congress should also accept the issue of barring persons of foreign origin as 8216;8216;it is a matter of principle8217;8217;. He called for a law barring people of foreign origin from holding the office of PM.