Rahul Gandhi capable of resolving Kashmir dispute as PM: Former top BJP advisor Sudheendra Kulkarni

MUMBAI: BJP veteran LK Advani's former close aide Sudheendra Kulkarni has said that Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is capable of resolving complex issues like the Kashmir dispute, and favoured him as the future Prime Minister of the country.

Speaking at a panel discussion in Mumbai, Kulkarni said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government has "failed" to solve the longtime disputes with Pakistan and China.

During the discussion, Kulkarni also praised the Gandhi scion, saying that he is a "leader with a good heart".

While stating that dialogue is the only solution to resolve the long-standing dispute with Pakistan, Kulkarni said that normalising ties with the neighbouring country is key to India becoming a great nation.

"We must state what is required for solving the problem with Pakistan. And which is why I made a suggestion that I would like to see Rahul Gandhi as the future prime minister," he said at the event organised by All India Professionals' Congress.

The event was attended by senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid, whose book 'Spectrum Politics' was launched there.

“(Rahul Gandhi) is young and he is an idealist. He is a man with compassion. No political leader in recent times had spoken the language of love, affection and compassion," Kulkarni added.

Giving a piece of advice to the Congress chief, Kulkarni said that Rahul Gandhi should visit neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, China and Bangladesh and emerge with ideas to solve the "big problems".

"Like Rajiv Gandhi did when he was in the Opposition... He went to Afghanistan. Similarly, Rahul ji should also go to Pakistan, China and Bangladesh and emerge as a leader with new ideas on how to solve big problems that Modi ji has failed to solve," Kulkarni suggested.

Describing himself as a "well-wisher" of the Congress party, Kulkarni pitched for a dialogue between the party and the RSS notwithstanding their differences.

(With PTI inputs)