'PM consulting allied parties on Prez candidate'

New Delhi, May 9: The CPI(M) today confirmed that the ManmohanSingh government had commenced the exercise of consulting UPAconstituents and the supporting parties on a presidential candidate,while asserting that the joint UPA-Left candidate will have ''addedstrength.''

''The PM is consulting the UPA constituents and othersupporting parties,'' CPI(M) parliamentary group leader and Rajya Sabhamember Sitaram Yechury told mediapersons at a press conference in theprecincts of Parliament amid reports of the PM meeting CPI(M) GeneralSecretary Prakash Karat and his CPI counterpart A B Bardhan over theweekend to discuss the issue.

''But we will go in for a political personality who has impeccable secular credentials,'' he added.

The term of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam ends in July and the politicalparties have started talks on selecting his successor. However, theoutcome of the UP assembly elections may change the political equationsin the country with the main players in the state - the BSP and the SP-- acquring more influence.

Mr Yechury, however, made it clear that his party would take thefinal decision only after the UP results are known on May 11 even somereports say that the issue could be discussed even tomorrow when UPAand the Left leaders reach Chennai to participate in the celebrationsto honour Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief M Karunanidhi forcompleting 50 years in legislature.

The Left parties are said to have discussed the issue informallyat their recent joint meetings, but have not officially announced theircandidate yet. However, they are said to have a definite preference forLok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, while the BJP may go in for VicePresident Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who is said to have ''friends'' inall parties.

Mr Yechury noted that the UP poll results were ''crucial'' as whathappens there would influence the presidential polls because of therelative higher vote value of UP MLAs.

UNI