Cong has never insisted on Rahul as PM: P. Chidambaram
Chennai, Oct 22: The Congress has never said "officially" that its president Rahul Gandhi should be the prime minister if an opposition alliance formed the next government, senior party leader P. Chidambaram said Monday.
He insisted the Congress' focus was on dislodging the BJP government and bringing in a "progressive" alternative.
Chidambaram said the decision on who will be the prime minister in the event of an opposition alliance winning next year's Lok Sabha poll will be taken by its constituents.
"The Congress party has not officially said Rahul Gandhi should be installed as prime minister. When one or two persons spoke about it, the AICC leadership asked them not to discuss the issue," he told News 18 Tamil TV channel.
"We don't have an issue over prime ministership," he said.
The former union finance minister said the Congress' primary focus was on removing the BJP government and replacing it with a progressive alternative.
"We want a government that doesn't snatch human freedom, one that doesn't intimidate citizens, one that doesn't impose tax terrorism on traders and entrepreneurs," he said.
Safety of women and children should be a key characteristic of such a government which would strive to ensure that farmers do not lose their livelihood, he said.
"That is our intention. The Congress party never said the prime minister should be from the party. Rahul Gandhi never said so. An alliance should take shape, that alliance should win, and the alliance parties will decide who will be the prime minister," he added.
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Four dead, 6 injured in road accident in Bihar's Saran district
Chhapra (Bihar) (PTI): Four people, including two women, died on the spot and six others were injured in an accident in Bihar's Saran district on Wednesday morning, a police official said.
The incident took place on the Brahmpur-Revelganj road in Bhagwan Bazar police station area of the district.
Talking to PTI, Chhapra SDPO (Sadar-1) said, "Around 5.45 am, a pickup vehicle travelling from Brahmpur towards Uttar Pradesh, which had 12 people on board, lost control and overturned. An unidentified truck allegedly ran over four people, including two men and two women, who had fallen onto the road."
Of the six people who were injured, four are undergoing treatment at Sadar hospital in Chhapra, and two others, who are in a critical condition, have been referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital for treatment, he added.
The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination.
An FIR was registered at the Traffic police station, and further legal action is being taken, officials said.
CCTV footage from nearby areas is being examined to identify the truck and its driver, they added.
The SDPO said the deceased belonged to different regions of Uttar Pradesh, and police are trying to reach out to their families.
