NCP to back UPA Prez candidate

Alliance to build maximum consensus among allies

UPA’s key ally NCP said on Sunday  that it would back the ruling alliance’s Presidential nominee even as a senior Union Minister said the Congress leadership will build “maximum” consensus among the coalition partners.

The West Bengal unit of Congress meanwhile pushed for Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s candidature saying it would be a matter of pride for the state if he became the President. Congress leader and Minister Manas Bhuniya also appealed to Trinamool chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to support Mukherjee if the high command chose him.

Amid media speculation that the Congress leadership has discussed Mukherjee’s name with its allies such as DMK, RLD and NCP and that he appeared to be having the support of all of them, the Congress leader from West Bengal remained tight-lipped over his possible candidature.

“NCP will back the UPA candidate...the final decision will be taken by Sharad Pawar on this,” said Baramati MP and the NCP supremo’s daughter Supriya Sule in Mumbai.

When asked by reporters about the possible candidature of Mukherjee, Sule said, “He is a very senior leader...I am not eligible to comment on him.”

The principal opposition party BJP said it would disclose its strategy on the Presidential elections only after the ruling UPA coalition announces its candidate.

“We are in the process. You will get a very good candidate. Our senior leadership is looking at the names and the leadership is in touch with all alliance partners,” Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid told reporters in Chennai.

“I am sure that not only we will have an outstanding candidate but also the maximum amount of consensus(from UPA allies) that can be built around the candidate will be done,” he said.

Against the backdrop of growing support for Mukherjee to be the UPA nominee, his Presidential prospects echoed at the programmes organised by the Congress during his two-day visit to Murshidabad in West Bengal, whose Jangipur constituency is represented by him.

“We hope that he (Mukherjee) will be back here as the president of the country,” influential Congress MP Arup Chowdhury told a Congress workers’ meeting in Murshidabad presided by the Union Minister.

Mukherjee, however, evaded the issue, saying “I have to cut short my stay and leave for Delhi today evening as I have important meetings to attend there.”