How do you see this election? Rural Maharashtra is very, very unhappy with the BJP-Sena. The farming community in Maharashtra has practically rejected the Modi name. In 2014, urban areas were saying 'Modi, Modi, Modi'. that situation is not there now. The trading community is unhappy because of GST. The younger generation. is unhappy because he could not resolve the issue of unemployment. In 2014, Modi's image was that of a successful chief minister. People thought Gujarat is a model for development and. if we give (Modi) an opportunity, he will replicate this at national level. There were a lot of expectations and that's why he got a good response. The situation has now been reversed. You spoke of agrarian distress, but the Opposition has not been able to turn this into an election issue. No, no. we talk about it (farm distress) everywhere, in all speeches. It is an opportunity given by Modi to us. You made efforts towards a mahagathbandhan. We will maintain excellent relations with each other and, after the elections, we will sit together, because we will definitely get good numbers and provide the alternative. For instance, in 2004, we never contested together. But after the election, we met together, discussed. I recollect Mrs Sonia Gandhi came to my place. Then Pranabda (Pranab Mukherjee), Dr Manmohan Singh. we sat in Sonia Gandhi's house and we, including Mulayam Singh Yadav and others, took a decision to form the UPA. Then we decided to select Manmohan Singh as our leader and. we gave a stable government. There will be a similar position this time. After the election, the numbers may not be for one party, but we will sit together, elect a leader, and form a stable government. Read | Sharad Pawar — fending off personal attacks, shouldering Cong-NCP alliance, standing tall against BJP What role do you see for yourself in such a situation? My role will be to bring everyone together. Do you hope to be the Prime Minister? My party is hardly contesting 25 seats. A party that is contesting 25 seats out of 543 cannot expect to form the government and lead one. The question does not arise. Therefore, my effort will be to bring them together, see that some formation like UPA stakes claim. Then, we will discuss with everybody, resolve the issue of leadership and ultimately form the government. Do you see Rahul Gandhi as a potential PM candidate? When he himself says he is not in the race, I cannot understand why I am being asked this question. Were you disappointed that despite your efforts, not all non-BJP parties came together? When we were meeting, the intention was that after the election, we have to come together and the process of coming together should start now. Yesterday, for instance, we sat in Delhi, then in Mumbai. Click here for more election news Prime Minister Modi has been attacking you personally in his campaigns. That's because Mr Modi has been unable to tell people about his achievements. He has failed on all fronts. That's why he's. openly asking for votes in the name of the Indian armed forces. He says Pawar's family is not listening to him. Arrey, the Prime Minister of the country makes public statements, saying XYZ's family is not speaking to him. Is that an election issue? That shows he is desperate. He's asking, 'Why are you sitting with the Congress'. I began with the Congress, I am a Congressman, and I respect Gandhi, Nehru and their ideology. [Congress and I] fought on certain issues, we separated, but we never left the Gandhi-Nehru ideology. How can I sit with you? Yet, there is that talk too – that you might go with the BJP. After the 2014 Assembly election, you did offer your support to the BJP government in Maharashtra. Those who make these statements. don't understand politics. It (the 2014 offer) was a strategy to keep the Shiv Sena away from the BJP. They fought against each other in the last (Assembly) election. So we wanted to keep them apart. I was fully aware that they would ultimately come together, because BJP wanted stability and Shiv Sena wanted power. But I thought, let us try. Chee chee, it's out of question that I will go with the BJP.
