Elections are no beauty contest, says Jairam Ramesh

Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has created a political buzz with his remark that ''election is not a beauty contest'' while commenting on reports on the pitching of Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi for the 2014 general elections by their respective parties.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 32nd convocation of the Institute of Rural Management, Ramesh said in Anand on Saturday, "In our country, election is not a beauty contest. It is fought between parties. Parties fight it on the basis of their manifesto, ideology, performance..."

"Our system is not like the one in America -- the presidential system wherein two people contest polls and based on how one looks, talks or cracks a joke. Elections should not be trivialised, it is a serious matter," he added.

He further said that he expected general elections to be held as per schedule next year, rubbishing out speculations of early polls.

Media often presents the 2014 election as a face-off between Rahul Gandhi and Modi, who has been lauded by Indian corporate leaders and foreign companies for his business-friendly policies.

After his third consecutive win in state polls, many in his Bharatiya Janata Party have called for Modi to lead the party in the 2014 general elections.

While Gandhi, who was recently promoted to the post of party vice president, has rejected suggestions of him aspiring for the job of prime minister, he is seen as the face of the ruling Congress party’s 2014 election campaign and its leading candidate for the post if the party does well in the polls.