Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma on Wednesday expressed his willingness to take on BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha election for Varanasi seat.

"Definitely. I will pack my bag and leave tomorrow for Varanasi if so desired by the (Congress) party", he told PTI when asked if he would consider fighting Mr Modi in coming general elections.

Mr Sharma's remarks came amid media speculation that a known Modi-baiter Digvijay Singh, the AICC general secretary, may be chosen to take on Narendra Modi in Varanasi. Mr Singh had been in-charge of party affairs for Uttar Pradesh for a long time.

However, senior Congress leaders concerned with nomination finalisation process feigned ignorance when asked about the possibility of Digvijaya Singh's candidature from the seat.

Mr Sharma, Commerce and Industries Minister and a Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan, belongs to Himachal Pradesh and is a Brahmin leader. There is a view in a section of the party that after the exit of sitting BJP MP Murli Manohar Joshi from the electoral battle in the holy city, it will be advantageous for Congress to field a Brahmin candidate.

Mr Joshi himself was keen to contest from Varanasi but BJP leadership persuaded him to vacate the seat in favour of Mr Modi.

Mr Joshi will now be fighting elections from Kanpur.

On putting up a joint front against Narendra Modi in Varanasi, Mr Sharma said "we are very clear about it. Congress party is not going to vacate that political space of fighting the elections on its own symbol, its own candidate and own flag. It's a clash of ideologies."



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