There are fewer human beings, dead or alive, more dangerous than a political leader who shoots off his/her mouth, with or without provocation. So days after Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party’s new vice-president, reportedly chided some party leaders last Saturday for raising the chorus about him being the prime ministerial candidate, you would expect Congress leaders to talk about the weather, the Oscars or the ongoing Test series against Australia. In effect, anything but the words prime + minister + 2014.

But no sir. Congressmen and women are apparently made of sterner stuff. Mere ticking-offs do not exactly ruffle them.

Last Sunday, Beni Prasad Verma, the union steel minister, told the media in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh: "As far as Rahul is concerned, you all know that I am the first Congressman who wants him to become the PM. It was me who had raised this issue first. Maybe Rahul is annoyed with those who are demanding his prime ministerial candidature but I wouldn't listen to him and continue demanding so."

Also last Sunday, Ajit Jogi, a former chief minister of Chhattisgarh, was quoted by the PTI: “We should say that the next leader of the country will be from Nehru-Gandhi family. This is my personal feeling. (An) overwhelming majority of Congressmen feel that time has come when they should lead the country and everything will depend upon the choice of the family.”

And this Sunday it was the turn of Shashi Tharoor, the union HRD minister, to try out his voice by joining the chorus. Addressing the media in Bhopal, he said if a party is voted to power, its president or vice-president would be the natural choice for prime ministership. “And all know who is the president and vice-president of our party. If we are voted to power, then naturally one among them could become the prime minister,” he added for effect.

While Tharoor still stands the chance of being thrown out of the chorus group for not taking Rahul Gandhi’s name, the oblique reference might just help his cause is carrying on as part of lead vocals.

Some quick observations about Tharoor’s interesting reflection:

* Kamraj was the Congress president in 1967, and Jagjivan Ram in 1971. Indira Gandhi became the prime minister on both occasions.

* Sonia Gandhi was the party president in 2004 and 2009. Manmohan Singh became the prime minister on both occasions.

* Veering off Tharoor’s own party, LK Advani was the BJP president in 1996. Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the prime minister.

* Kushabhau Thakre was the party president in 1998 and 1999. Vajpayee became the prime minister on both occasions.

Being smarter than the average politician, Tharoor might have masked his voice, in a bid, perhaps, to avoid being hitched to the chorus. But he might as well join it, rather than throwing such inane logic and arguments around.