In the midst of uncertainty surrounding the selection of the prime ministerial candidate for the 2024 general elections within the INDIA bloc, NCP chief Sharad Pawar stated on Wednesday that during the 1977 Lok Sabha polls, the opposition contested without explicitly putting forward Morarji Desai as the candidate for the position of Prime Minister.
Addressing a press conference here, he also expressed confidence that the INDIA alliance will emerge as a viable alternative for the next general elections. The 1977 Lok Sabha polls were fought by the opposition without projecting a prime ministerial face. Morarji Desai was chosen for the post after the opposition won the election, he said.
Despite the poor results in the recent assembly elections in the states, we are confident that people will accept the INDIA bloc as a viable alternative. We are taking all the precautions. There have been no seat-sharing talks as yet, but a dialogue has started to bring unanimity and sort out differences, he said.
Morarji Desai, the inaugural non-Congress prime minister, held office from 1977 to 1979, heading the government established by the Janata Party. During the Congress's foundation day rally in Nagpur on Thursday, Sharad Pawar expressed optimism that the discussions at the event would contribute to building a favorable foundation for the opposition alliance.
Replying to a query about whether Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party would be included in the opposition bloc, he said the Samajwadi Party (SP) was already part of the alliance and no decision would be taken which would hurt the Akhilesh Yadav-led party.