Baramati (Maharashtra): Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar today (April 26, 2004) brushed aside suggestion that he was a Prime Ministerial aspirant, stating that the leader of a party contesting 30 Lok Sabha seats cannot hold such "irrational" expectation.

"And I never maintain such an irrational approach," Pawar quipped soon after casting vote at hometown Baramati this morning. He was responding to queries from newsmen as to whether he foresaw himself as a Prime Ministerial candidate.

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Pawar asserted that in coalition politics "wider acceptability" matters more than majority, hinting that the same yardstick will apply to decide the leadership of the new coalition that may emerge against the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

He pointed out at how H D Deve Gowda, who led just a small group of MPs, turned out to be a consensus Prime Minister candidate in 1996 although the Congress Party that supported him was the biggest party then.

"If the non-NDA parties assume majority in next Lok Sabha, we well sit together and sort out the leadership issue," the Maratha strongman added.

Replying to another question as to who will lead in case the Congress-NCP alliance gains majority, Pawar said the issue will be decided if such situation arises.

On further probed by newsmen whether alliance partner, the Congress would provide leadership to a future coalition, the NCP chief said it was too premature for him to comment on it now.