People missing educated PM like Manmohan, says Kejriwal

Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said the country was missing an “educated PM” like former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Mr. Kejriwal, who had been a vocal critic of Dr. Singh’s Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government, said in a tweet, “People missing an educated PM like Dr Manmohan Singh [sic]”.

He added that was “dawning on people now” that the Prime Minister should be literate. Mr. Kejriwal made the statements while sharing a media report about the falling rupee and uncertainty over investments in the country.

Mr. Kejriwal’s statement came on the day results of bypolls in Assembly and Lok Sabha seats around the country were announced, giving the united Opposition 11 out of 14 seats.

When asked whether Mr. Kejriwal’s statement could be seen as an overture to the Congress, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said it could not.

“This is about two successive Prime Ministers and the contrast between them with respect to their educational qualifications. One was known to be well-educated, while the other hides his degree,” Mr. Bharadwaj said, referring to Delhi University declining to reveal through a Right to Information request the details of Mr. Modi’s degree from the varsity.

On the other hand, president of the Delhi unit of the Congress, Ajay Maken, blamed Mr. Kejriwal for spreading lies about the Congress and bringing Mr. Modi to power in 2014.

Maken hits out

Replying to Mr. Kejriwal’s tweet, Mr. Maken tweeted, “You may now apologise to @KapilSibal, @PawanKhera & @SheilaDikshit or rope in @PChidambaram_IN or praise Dr ManmohanSingh But you are the one-along with team Anna and backed by BJP, had spread lies and canard against the Congress leaders & brought Modi to power Where is Lokpal [sic].”

‘Message to Cong’

Independent observers, however, saw the Chief Minister’s statement as the AAP’s attempt to send a message to the Congress.

Pradip Kumar Datta, a professor of comparative politics at Jawaharlal Nehru University’s School of International Studies, said the tweet had sent out “two signals”. “One of the signals is the acceptance of the Congress as the dominant partner in the coalition. And the second is that Rahul Gandhi will not be acceptable to lead the coalition,” said Prof. Datta.

He added that Mr. Kejriwal’s statement sent the message that someone like Dr. Singh, “within the Congress, but independent” and someone who can keep the coalition for 2019 together would be acceptable.

However, he said, the question of what would be the shape of a “coalition that takes on the BJP” remained.