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Mamata, Mulayam reject Congress' presidential candidate | West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who met Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam
Singh Yadav here on Wednesday evening to discuss the presidential candidate, came
out with the names of former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh and former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee as the apt
candidates for the coveted post. Both Mamata and Mulayam appeared to be on the
same wavelength with regard to the presidential candidate. "Our first choice for
President is APJ Abdul Kalam, second choice is PM Manmohan Singh and third choice
is Somnath Chatterjee," said Mulayam after meeting Mamata. The latest developments
appear to be a major blow for the ruling Congress Party, as the two leaders have
rejected the names of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Mohammad
Hamid Ansari as figured during Mamata's talks with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
Mamata, who met Sonia Gandhi earlier in the day, remained non-committal over the
UPA chairperson's suggestion and said that she would revert to the issue after
discussing it with her Trinamool Congress colleagues. "I had a detailed discussion
with her. Sonia Gandhi told that Pranab Mukherjee is first choice for President
and the second choice is (Vice-President) Hamid Ansari," she told media here earlier
today. Banerjee also said that she had told Gandhi that she would go back and
discuss with her Trinamool Congress colleagues and revert on the issue. Banerjee
had earlier today also rubbished reports that she has been demanding for a financial
package for her state in return for joining hands with the UPA over its presidential
candidate. "I am going to meet Sonia Gandhi. Our demand for three years moratorium
on debt repayment should not be related to the Presidential polls. Whenever PM
or Sonia Gandhi call me I go and meet them. That is the decorum of the system.
Every time I come to Delhi someone plants a rumour," she told the media ahead
of her meeting with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Banerjee, who arrived here on
Tuesday for consultations with Gandhi, had also met Mulayam Singh Yadav here last
evening to discuss the presidential polls. Trinamool Congress, with 19 members
in the Lok Sabha, is the largest constituent of UPA after the Congress. On the
other hand, the Samajwadi Party, which has 22 members in the Lok Sabha, is an
outside supporter of the ruling alliance. A fresh round of consultations on the
issue of selection of a presidential nominee is taking place in the UPA, after
the Congress Working Committee (CWC) authorised Gandhi to decide on the candidates
for the coming presidential and vice presidential elections. Gandhi has so far
held discussions with DMK chief Karunanidhi, NCP leader Sharad Pawar and RLD chief
Ajit Singh on the presidential candidate. Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath
had on Tuesday announced the schedule for the 14th indirect presidential election
to elect the 13th President of India. Sampath said the notification for the presidential
poll would be announced on June 16. He further declared that June 30 would be
the last day for the filing of the nomination by candidates for the presidential
election. Sampath said that July 2 has been fixed as the day for scrutiny of all
nominations, while July 4 would be the last date for candidates to withdraw their
nominations. The presidential poll, he said, would take place on July 19, and
the result would be declared on July 22. President Pratibha Devisingh Patil will
leave office on July 24.
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