New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today (Apr 26, 2004) said Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar's statement that he was in the Prime Ministerial race was a rejection of Congress president Sonia Gandhi's candidature to the top post as she was "not acceptable" to the allies.

"With Pawar stating that he was a candidate for the Prime Ministerial post, the allies have already begun to reject Congress president Sonia Gandhi's candidature for the top post and this was even before the second phase of polling is over," party general secretary and spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.

Elections 2004-The Drama unfolds...
Political Parties in India

He said this showed that she was not acceptable to the allies and that "this alliance is not based on any principles, but out of political compulsions".

"It is clear that this benami alliance is on the verge of breaking up even before being firmed up. When her own allies are not accepting her leadership, how can the country accept her? Ruling a country is not a child's play and the Congress has plenty of time to learn about the art of running a coalition," Naqvi said.

He said by the fourth phase of polling, Congress would be out of the running for Government formation.

"The Congress party would retire after these elections and would have to think which ashram to join. So long as there is no confidence in your partners, it is not possible to form a coalition," Naqvi said.

He said Muslims and minorities have now begun supporting the BJP since the Congress never allowed them to join the mainstream and always treated them as vote banks.