Union steel minister Beni Prasad Verma said here on Monday that he saw no threat to the UPA government from the Trinamul Congress proposal to move a no-confidence motion in the coming winter session of Parliament.
“The SP and BSP cannot withdraw their support from the UPA government and you know the reason why. The UPA is safe and we will form the next government at the Centre but also the one after that. The Lok Sabha elections will be held when they are due and not before that,” he said while talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
The minister maintained that he desired to see Mr Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister and said, “His (Rahul Gandhi’s) appointment as the head of the Congress election coordination committee is a clear indication of the Congress high command’s wishes. It has always been my personal choice to see him as the next Prime Minister.”
Replying to a question, Mr Verma said that he would continue to be soft on UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and would remain harsh on Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav. “I give full marks to the Akhilesh Yadav government for cooperating in implementing the various central government schemes in the state,” he added.
Mr Beni Prasad Verma further said that a 500 MW power plant would be started in Gonda soon and a steel processing unit, an ITI and two skill development centres are also being set up in Gonda.