Manmohan Singh, UPA’s natural choice as PM: Pawar

“Congress as the major party in the UPA has to take a call on the leadership issue. It should decide and discuss with the allies….but if we want someone who is non-controversial then Manmohan Singh is there,” Pawar told PTI in an interview.

He made it clear that “it is too early to say anything” about the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. The MP from Amethi is generally being projected by Congress as a potential leader and a future Prime Minister.

The NCP chief is the first among the UPA leaders to pitch for Manmohan as PM candidate. He had expressed a similar view sometime back after which some Congress leaders like Arjun Singh had attempted to project Rahul Gandhi, drawing instant snub from the party high command.

Pawar feels that the Lok Sabha elections will be held at the scheduled time — March-April next year.

He does not see the possibility of the UPA going for

early polls by the year-end after a record foodgrains production and possible reining in of inflation in the next few months.