Rahul Gandhi recently said that he might be Prime Minister if the Congress wins the 2019 polls
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has said that Congress president Rahul Gandhi would have to wait for at least "10 to 15 years" to become the country's prime minister. He went on to say however, that there was nothing wrong in nurturing such an ambition.
"Rahul Gandhi has spoken about his prime ministerial ambitions. But I think he will have to wait for at least 10 to 15 years. There is nothing wrong with having an ambition to become prime minister. However, it is too early (for Rahul Gandhi) to express such an ambition," Mr Athawale said.
The Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment said that he was confident that the National Democratic Alliance or NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi would win a second term in 2019.
He added that the BJP would win Karnataka with a clear majority as communities like the Lingayats, OBCs, and others were supporting the party.
"The Congress is projecting the BJP as an anti-Dalit party, but people are wise enough to understand what is right," he said.
Earlier on Friday, Mr Athawale visited Bhima Koregaon and met the family members of Pooja Sakat, whose house was torched during the violence that occurred there on January 1. Pooja, who was a witness to the violence, was found dead in a well nearby in April.
"Pooja's family claims she was either murdered or was forced to commit suicide. Nine people have been named in the FIR of which two have been arrested. I have asked police to arrest the rest soon," he said.