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The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Friday categorically stated that being a part of the ruling UPA Government, it would take a decision on who would be the next president of India with the widest possible consensus. Asked whether the NCP would back Sangma for president after he had got endorsements from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Party (AIADMK) on Thursday, senior leader D.P.Tripathi said: “We have reiterated our stand that NCP is part of the (UPA) Government. And as a political party, we have not discussed any names, and we will decide collectively as and when the issue comes up for consideration. There is enough time.” “And, we maintain our stand, that we want the president, which is the highest constitutional office in the country, should be chosen with the widest possible consensus. The decision would be collective, we are part of the UPA. And, as a political party, we are not projecting any name. It would be wrong to do so,” he added. “There is no question of NCP supporting a candidate as a political party. That question doesn’t arise because we are part of UPA and we will take any decision collectively,” Tripathi said. NCP chief Sharad Pawar has, however, downplayed the attempts made by Sangma so far to enter the presidential race. This may be attributed to the fact that Pawar’s role has been that of a key ally of the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre since 2004. The two parties are also sharing power in Maharashtra since 2009. Sangma had earlier on Thursday welcomed the decision of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to back him for the president's post, and urged leaders of various other political outfits to also support him, as India was yet to have a president who was a representative of the country’s tribal community and from the north east. Expressing delight over his backing by two influential chief ministers, Sangma said: "I am very very grateful to both the Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Orissa. And on behalf of myself, on behalf of the entire tribal population of the country, which is more than 100 million, I would like to express my gratitude.” When asked whether the nation could hope to get a first president from northeast, Sangma said: "Well, it is not only northeast, we had one president earlier Mr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed had come from northeast. Region wise, I think we had been there once, but as a community tribal so far nobody has become president." "Though people belonging to Scheduled Caste, people belonging to Sikh community or Muslim community had already become (president). So, we thought that we should also have a share of it," he added. To a poser on whether he was hopeful about leaders of various other political outfits supporting him too for the president's post, Sangma said: "I would like to appeal to leaders of all political parties to support the cost of tribals as Madam Jayalalithaa and Mr. Naveen Patnaik has done. I appeal to all political parties. When asked to comment on the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who have not yet opened their cards on this issue, Sangma said: "We have been meeting leaders here and there. We have continued to meet the leaders of different political parties. I have not met Mr. Naveen Patnaik, but I have talked to him on telephone twice. But day before yesterday, we had met Madam Jayalalithaa." "Before that we met the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha. We have also met the BJP President. We have sent our request to meet in a delegation to Congress President Madam Sonia Gandhi and the same request is with Mr. Sharad Pawar, who is the president of NCP," he added. Sangma, who is at the moment leaving no stones unturned in ensuring that the president must be from the tribal community, further said he does not represent any political party as of now. "Now, as of today, we are not representing any political party. We are going as a one community, that is the tribal community. So, it has nothing to do with political parties as yet. Now that two political parties have come out with their support, we appeal to other political parties also to support us," he said. Current incumbent Pratibha Devisingh Patil's term ends on July 25 this year. She was sworn-in as the 12th president of India on July 25, 2007. The president is the constitutional head of the country and also the supreme commander of the armed forces.

NCP says will toe UPA line on choice for President