India's Rahul Gandhi wins backing for PM job

NEW DELHI: An influential member of India's ruling party has said that Rahul Gandhi, seen as the next generation of his family's political dynasty, is ready to become prime minister.

Gandhi, who turned 41 at the weekend, is widely viewed as a leader-in-waiting, but has so far avoided roles in the cabinet, preferring instead to focus on building up a youth movement of the ruling Congress party.

"It is time that Rahul Gandhi can become the prime minister," Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh was quoted by news agency The Press Trust of India as saying on Sunday.

The public call of support for Gandhi comes amid pressure on 78-year-old Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who critics say has failed to give the government direction amid a series of corruption scandals and challenges.

The often outspoken Singh is close to the Gandhi family and Rahul's mother, Sonia Gandhi, who is president of the Congress party.

The Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty has ruled India for most of the post-independence era, providing three prime ministers.

Singh said member of parliament Rahul, was now a mature person with sound political instincts required for the top job.

"Rahul has been working for the party for the last seven to eight years," Singh said, adding that he has "the right qualities, instincts and experience to take up the mantle of premiership now."

But the "prince", as Rahul's detractors call him, has made some missteps recently, including making false claims about police brutality during a protest by farmers in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

This incident, along with poor performances of many of his handpicked candidates in recent state elections, raised fresh questions about whether Gandhi was prime-ministerial material.

Rahul Gandhi, who never has stated outright he wants to lead India, has said becoming premier is not the only "job" in the world and there "are many other jobs a person can do".

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011