Would it be Modi vs Rahul Gandhi in 2014?: US panel

A new US Congressional report suggests that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi could emerge as the opposition BJP’s prime ministerial candidate in 2014 elections to take on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

While the Congressional Research Service (CRS) report providing background information to US lawmakers does not directly suggest a contest between the two leaders, it does discuss the possibility of Modi and Gandhi emerging as the candidates of their respective parties.

Taking note of Modi’s “impressive development successes in his state”, the as yet unpublished report made public by Federation of American Scientists think tank, says while BJP president Nitin Gadkari has made changes in the party “to be a formidable challenger” yet “among the party’s likely candidates for the prime ministership in future elections is” Modi.

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The report acknowledges that “Modi, who has overseen impressive development successes in his state, (but who) is also dogged by controversy over his alleged complicity in lethal anti-Muslim rioting there in 2002.”

Modi, it notes has in the past been denied a US visa under an American law barring entry for foreign government officials found to be complicit in severe violations of religious freedom and cites Indian media reports to say that “although he is a safe bet to win a third term in 2012 state elections, his aspirations to be the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate face significant obstacles.”

Discussing the prospects of Rahul Gandhi the Sep 1 report notes that Congress president Sonia Gandhi “is suffering from an unknown illness, and in early August virtually disappeared from India’s political stage”.

“Moreover, as key Congress figures express support for the future leadership role of Sonia Gandhi’s youthful son, parliamentarian Rahul Gandhi, (Prime Minister) Manmohan Singh’s political authority is correspondingly undermined,” it says.

“The 2009 polls may have represented a coming out party of sorts for the younger Gandhi, who many expect to be put forward as Congress’s prime ministerial candidate in scheduled 2014 elections. Yet this heir-apparent remains dogged by questions about his abilities to lead the party, given a mixed record as an election strategist, uneasy style in public appearances, and reputation for gaffes,” it says.