Patna, Oct 19: The BJP today rubbished Congress' claim that Sonia Gandhi was accepted by the opposition as the future prime minister saying it was sharply divided on account of her foreign origin. ''Barring the Chief Minister of Bihar, nobody, not even Congress' ally in Maharashtra government, the NCP, is prepared to accept Sonia Gandhi as future prime minister,'' BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu told a press conference here without naming RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav.

He said that while NCP chief Sharad Pawar had already disfavoured Sonia as future PM, the Left parties were happy with their 'dosti' (friendship) with Congress in Delhi and 'kushti' (wrestling) in Kerala and West Bengal.

''Even Mulayam Singh Yadav seems disinclined to support Sonia Gandhi for the top job,'' he said.

Coming out strongly in support of a born-in-India person for prime ministership, Naidu said when Congress in Chhatisgarh and Rajasthan were seeking true Chhatisgarhis and Rajasthanis for chief ministership, their party had no right to find fault with our contention that only a true Indian should become the prime minister.

On Sonia Gandhi's assertion that the upcoming assembly elections in five states would be fought on the issue of development versus destruction, the BJP leader said ''our party too wants the polls to be held on the same issues as Congress, after ruling India for nearly five decades, has an obligation to explain to the country what hindered its progress.
Bureau Report