No decision on Presidential candidate yet: Pawar

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has said he discussed the issue of Presidential election in his recent meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi but no "particular name" came up during the discussion.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has said he discussed the issue of Presidential election in his recent meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi but no "particular name" came up during the discussion.

HT Image

"No particular name has come up in the discussion so far. We will discuss the issue with other parties," he told reporters in Mumbai.

"I can not answer ifs and buts on this issue," the Union agriculture minister said when asked about possible candidates
in the race.

'Sangma's view personal, not that of NCP'

The NCP has alao said that former Lok Sabha PA Sangma's pitching for a tribal as UPA's presidential poll candidate was his "personal opinion" and not its view.

"Sangma's statement (President should be from a Scheduled Tribe) is his personal opinion. It is not the view of the
party", NCP general secretary DP Tripathi told reporters in Allahabad.

"Though we must clarify that it does not mean that the party is averse to having a tribal as the country's President", he said.

Tripathi added "the UPA, of which NCP is a part, is working towards achieving a consensus on the name of the Presidential candidate.

"We are hopeful that a consensus would emerge soon and our candidate will achieve a smooth victory in the Presidential elections scheduled for July".

Sangma had stated "tribal leaders will meet and demand that the next President should be a ST".