Ludhiana, May 11: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
on Monday dismissed as speculative reports of NCP chief Sharad
Pawar heading the next government at the Centre.
"These are all speculations. Media enjoys all these
speculations. I read this in the newspapers. I talked to
senior leaders and they expressed total ignorance," he said
at a press conference here.
He was asked to comment on the NCP leader heading the
next government at the Centre.
Maintaining that he was the prime ministerial candidate
of the UPA, Singh said Congress party has already declared who
will be the candidate for the top job.
"There is no wavering of our commitment to that
declaration," he said, adding that any question of compromise
on that was "entirely hypothetical".
Asked if he felt there were too many political parties in
the country, Singh said it would be desirable if the number of
parties was less.
The Prime Minister, however, hastened to add that he did
not want to imply that he had anything against regional
parties.
"They (regional parties) are a reality," he said
suggesting that "requisite space" has to be provided to the
regional parties.
Bureau Report
