Polls no beauty contest: Ramesh on Modi vs Rahul debate

Dismissing the talk of next general elections becoming a contest between personalities, possibly involving Gujarat CM Narendra Modi and Congress VP Rahul Gandhi, Union minister Jairam Ramesh today said polls were not 'a beauty contest'.

Dismissing the talk of next general elections becoming a contest between personalities, possibly involving Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and Congress scion Rahul Gandhi, Union minister Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said elections were not "a beauty contest".

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"Elections in India are not fought between personalities.

It is not a beauty contest between political parties," Ramesh said, when asked about the possibility that Modi would be projected as prime ministerial candidate of BJP.

"Elections cannot be trivialised. We do not have a presidential system like in US because polls here are contested by political parties and not by personalities," said the activist minister on the sidelines of IRMA convocation.

"Polls will take place when they are due -- next March or April. Congress will contest polls on its strength. We have alliances in Maharashtra, Kerala, UP with different parties," Ramesh said.