New Delhi, Aug 9 - Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Praful Patel says there is nothing wrong if party chief Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule takes over the mantle from him but the NCP is not bound to name her the successor.
In an interview to the television channel IBN7 telecast Sunday evening, Patel said: 'The credit for bringing Supriya Sule into politics goes more to me than to Sharad Pawar. We brought her into it because she is young and wanted to enter politics.'
'So why not, just because she is the daughter of Sharad Pawar?' Patel asked.
When told this was the case with children of leaders of other parties like Mulayam Singh, K. Karunanidhi and Parkash Singh Badal, Patel said: 'We together will give new leadership to the NCP. We are not bound to make Supriya Sule a successor just because of her family.'
Patel, also civil aviation minister, said Sule 'cannot become my leader. Sharad Pawar will remain my leader'.
Asked if he aspired to be the successor, he responded: 'As far as the party is concerned, there are many people, I am not the only person.'
The NCP leader, however, clarified that at the moment there was no room at the top and Pawar was the party chief.
'After Sharad Pawar, there are many people.