By IANS,
Hoshiarpur (Punjab) : Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Tuesday evening categorically stated that only Manmohan Singh would be the party’s prime ministerial candidate in the general elections slated for next year.
“Only Manmohan Singh will be our candidate for prime ministership,” Rahul Gandhi told IANS after meeting Congress leaders here on the second day of his three-day visit to Punjab.
Gandhi was clarifying comments attributed to him saying that “the question (of being PM) is open and not closed for me”, which he had reportedly made while addressing a gathering of students at Punjabi University in Patiala Monday evening, 90 km from Chandigarh.
Gandhi arrived here Tuesday evening after touring Bathinda, Muktsar, Faridkot, Ferozepur and Gurdaspur districts.
His arrival here was marred by a controversy after local mediapersons were pushed around by the Punjab Police and other security officials at a marriage palace where Gandhi was meeting party workers.
The police did not allow journalists to enter the premises, leading to a boycott of the function and slogan shouting against Gandhi and the Congress party by mediapersons.
Acting Punjab Congress president M.S. Kaypee came out to pacify journalists and sought to put the blame on the Akali Dal government for creating hurdles.
“We have no control over the police,” Kaypee said.