Amid speculations that NCP chief Sharad Pawar may replace Congress president Sonia Gandhi as chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said that the patron has all the qualities to lead the country.
"Politics is unpredictable. You never know what will happen next," Raut said in response to certain reports about Pawar.
Raut's party shares power with the NCP and Congress in Maharashtra.
"Pawar has vast experience, knowledge of the issues before the country and knows "the pulse of the people", the Sena Rajya Sabha MP said. "He has all the capabilities to lead the nation. The Shiv Sena extends good wishes o him," he added, referring to Pawar's 80th birthday on December 12.
Meanwhile, a new rural development scheme in Maharashtra has been named after Sharad Pawar, the chief architect of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government, in which the NCP is a key constituent, on Wednesday gave a go-ahead to a proposal to launch the scheme and name it after the former Union agriculture minister.
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