New Delhi: Union Human Resource Minister Arjun Singh is upset that his daughter Veena Singh was denied at ticket by the Congress to contest Lok Sabha elections but he said that he would still campaign for the party.
"I can't deny I am disappointed that my children have not got tickets. I will campaign for the party but I will not contest," said Arjun.
Arjun also disagreed with Congress' official stand and condemned the slapping of the National Security Act on Bharatiya Janata Party leader Varun Gandhi.
"Both Varun's statement and charging him under NSA is unfortunate," Singh said when asked about the storm created by Varun's hate speech against Muslims in Pilibhit and the slapping of NSA against him by the Mayawati government.
Reacting on the post-poll situation Singh said the Congress should not be averse to taking the support of Left parties after the General Elections if the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) failed to reach the 272 MPs in the 543-memeber Lok Sabha.
At the same time, the HRD Minister said that under the circumstances, Manmohan Singh becoming the Prime Minister is "more justified and desirable". Singh has come out "quite well" inspite of health problems, he said.
Asked whether Manmohan Singh was the natural choice or compulsion, he shot back "what is the compulsion about it?"
When told that if the Congress sought Left support then Manmohan Singh would have to give way to some other leader as Prime Minister, he said "not necessary. Let us see".
To a question whether the party should not project a young leader for prime ministership, Singh recalled that when he had said so, he was dubbed a sycophant. Later everyone started saying the same, he added.
"Rahul (Rahul Gandhi himself said at the moment I am not prepared. You should not dismiss the honest evaluation of an individual," he said praising the young leader by remarking that some people "die even for small posts".
Singh's daughter Veena has already filed her nomination from Sidhi as an Independent.
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