On INDIA Bloc Not Naming PM Face, Sharad Pawar's Morarji Desai Reference

With the Opposition bloc INDIA yet to announce its prime ministerial face for the upcoming general elections, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar said there are no consequences if a PM face is not projected as voters will take the call to bring a change if they are in the mood.

Even in the 1977 Lok Sabha polls (post Emergency) no one was projected as the PM face, Sharad Pawar, responding to a question about the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance not having a prime ministerial face, said.

"In the 1977 elections, no face was projected for PM and after the election, Moraraji Desai was elected for the post. His name was nowhere before the elections and, in fact, a new party came into existence. After the polls, Mr Desai was made PM. There are no consequences if a face is not projected. If people are in the mood for a change, they will take the call to bring that change," the former Union Minister said.

Morarji Desai, who became the country's first non-Congress PM, remained in office for 856 days. He served as the fifth PM from 1977 to 1979, in the post-emergency government led by the Janata Party.

Asked about a poll survey that gave the Maha Vikas Aghadi an edge over the ruling alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Mr Pawar said surveys are just indications and one should not jump to conclusions on the basis of such exercises.

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