PM meets senior Congress leaders

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today met senior Congress colleagues, including Pranab Mukherjee, to discuss the presidential poll issue ahead of the UPA meeting.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today met senior Congress colleagues, including Pranab Mukherjee, to discuss the presidential poll issue ahead of the UPA meeting.

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Besides Mukherjee, who is the UPA's first choice as Presidential candidate, the meeting was attended by P Chidambaram, Salman Khurshid and Kapil Sibal.

The meeting is believed to be meant for discussing Congress strategy ahead of the deliberations with UPA allies this evening.

The UPA meeting, which is being skipped by Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, is expected to firm up the coalition's candidate.

The UPA Congress has two names -- Mukherjee and Vice President Hamid Ansari -- under consideration as first and second choices for the presidential candidate.