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In his first reaction after the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) announced Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as its presidential candidate on Friday, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav said that his party would support Mukherjee's candidature. Interacting with media here, Mulayam said that the “names given with the Trinamool Congress were only suggestions." It maybe recalled that Mulayam and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had suggested the names of former president A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, former LOk Sabha speaker Somnath Chaterjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the post of president after President Pratibha Devisingh Patil demits office on July 24. They had then both rejected the names of Mukherjee and Vice-President Hamid Ansari. "In politics, decisions change according to the situation,” Mulayam said on being asked about his party’s announcement of the three candidates for the top post. However, on Friday, Mulayam said that his deal with Mamata Banerjee was redundant now, and therefore, there was ‘no point in talking about the past. Infact, he got irritated with the media for repeatedly asking him questions about the M+M coming together on the issue of presidential elections. He also added that there was no talk of his party joining the UPA coalition at the Centre. “We are not joining the UPA,” Mulayam categorically said. Earlier this evening, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi formally announced Mukherjee as the ruling alliance's presidential candidate, which the latter accepted with humility. Coalition partners also congratulated Mukherjee on his nomination, presenting him, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia gandhi with shawls. The presidential elections will be held on July 19. The vote count will take place on July 22. If he wins, Mukherjee will become the nation's 14th president on July 25.

Mulayam says SP will support presidential candidature of Mukherjee