Prez Poll: Badal to woo Third Front leaders

Chandigarh, July 8 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Parkash Singh Badal today said he would try to persuade the Third Front leaders to participate in the voting process in Presidential polls.

Talking to reporters here, Mr Badal said he would try to persuade TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu and other Front leaders to ask their party representatives to vote in favour of Independent candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.

''Mr Naidu is a personal friend of mine and I will try to convince him and other Front leaders in this regard,'' he said after a meeting of MLAS and MPs of NDA constituents of the Northwest states.

Addressing the meeting, Rajya Sabha MP Arun Shourie had urged Mr Badal to use his good offices to persuade the Front leaders to participate in the voting process.

Mr shourie had alleged that the Congress was influencing the Third Front leaders to abstain from voting in the Presidential polls.

UNI