New Delhi: Amid speculations of him running for the presidential election next year, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday (July 14) ruled out all such possibilities. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Pawar called the speculative media reports "absolutely false" which projected him as a candidate for the Presidential election.
Denying all rumours, Pawar told ANI, that given the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has over 300 MPs, he knows the outcome of the election.
"I know what will be the result, given the party that has more than 300 MPs. I will not be a candidate for the presidential election," the former union minister said, putting an end to all speculations. Incumbent President Ram Nath Kovind’s tenure will come to an end in 2022.
The reports became rife after election strategist Prashant Kishor met with Sharad Pawar last month followed by his meeting with Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra this week.
Spilling the beans on his much-talked-about meeting with Kishor, Pawar refuted any discussions on 2024 Lok Sabha polls or the Presidential election.
"Prashant Kishor met me twice, but we only talked about a company of his. No discussion was held regarding the leadership for the 2024 elections or the Presidential election. Prashant Kishor told me that he has left the field of formulating poll strategies," the news agency quoted him as saying.
The NCP chief asserted that he will not assume any leadership role in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. "Nothing has been decided so far, be it the 2024 general elections or state elections. The election is far away, the political situation keeps changing. I am not going to assume any leadership in the 2024 elections," he added.
Meanwhile, NCP minister Nawab Malik said there has been no discussion within the party on the presidential poll, PTI reported.
(With agency inputs)
