Rahul Gandhi will never get a chance to become the PM of India: Union Minister Athawale

New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will never get a chance to become the country's Prime Minister.
"As far as the PM candidate is concerned, Sonia Gandhi and the Congress party did not let him (Rahul Gandhi) become the PM when was a chance (in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections). Now the time has passed and he will never get a chance again," said Athawale. Union Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's caravan is at a rapid pace and Rahul Gandhi won't be able to replace him. "If we (NDA) are winning above 400 seats in 2024, how can Rahul Gandhi become the Prime Minister?" he said.
Athawale said the Congress party will not get more than 40 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He also claimed that if Kerala hadn't supported it, Congress would have been limited to 15 seats in the previous election.

Speaking on Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra entering the national capital on Saturday and the recent Covid controversy after a letter by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to Rahul Gandhi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Athawale said that Rahul Gandhi is welcome in Delhi as his Yatra has entered the capital but also mentioned that the Yatra should be stopped in view of the increase in Covid-19 cases.
Reacting to allegations levelled by the Congress against the BJP, that the latter is afraid of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Athawale said that there was nothing to worry about the Yatra.
"Why should we be afraid? We are not afraid at all. Narendra Modi Ji is our strong Prime Minister, and under his leadership, the country is progressing rapidly and is moving in the direction of development, we have nothing to fear. The Congress party is scared," said the Minister.
Earlier on Saturday Congress leader Pawan Khera said that the Congress workers want Rahul Gandhi to become the Prime Minister in 2024. "Only 2024 will decide it but if you ask us, then Rahul Gandhi definitely should become PM," Khera said. (ANI)