Baramati, April 23 (IANS) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar Thursday tripped the Congress by saying that the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) will pick its prime minister only after the Lok Sabha election results are known.
Going against the Congress stand that Manmohan Singh will remain the prime minister of any future UPA government, Pawar said that the “election and selection” of the leader of the government would occur after the elections get over May 16.

“Election and selection of the leader will be done collectively by the UPA,” Pawar said in reply to a question whether Manmohan Singh will be the prime minister post polls.

Pawar was speaking in Maharashtra’s Baramati parliamentary constituency where his daughter Supriya Sule is contesting. Pawar is fighting the polls from the Madha constituency.

Asked about UPA partners contesting elections separately, Pawar said: “Those who have been together in UPA might be contesting separately but after the elections we will sit together. We want to work under the UPA umbrella.”