Left may field its own Presidential candidate

New Delhi, May 16: The Left parties today did not rule out the possibility of fielding their own candidate for the Presidentship while outlining a broad five-point criteria for choosing the new occupant of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

''We don't rule out the possibility of a Left condidate being fielded in case there is an overwhelming support in his or her favour," Left leaders Prakash Karat and A B Bardhan told UNI at the conclusion of a two-hour joint meeting of the Left parties.

While Mr Karat said anything could happen, Mr Bardhan stated categorically that the Left parties would field their own candidate if there was a consensus on ths issue.

Earlier, briefing reporters, the Left leaders refused to disclose the names for Presidentship that came up during their discussions with the Congress, RJD, NCP, DMK and others, both in and outside the UPA.

Mr Karat, the CPI(M) General Secretary, said the Left would hold discussions with the UPA allies and hoped "the issue will be decided in the next few days." CPI National Secretary D Raja, RSP leader and Rajya Sabha member Abani Roy, Forward Bloc General Secretary Debvrat Biswas also participated in the joint meeting held at the CPI(M) Headquarters.

The Left leaders said the meeting concluded that the candidate for the Presidentship must be a man of high polticial stature with the requisite background and experience.

'"Since the unfortunate events at Ayodhya 1992, we have been very conscious about the importance of the post of the President. We, therefore, want a person with strong secular credentials, someone who can uphold the demcoratic traditions," Mr Karat said.

The Left leaders said they had held discussions with the Congress and the UPA partners. "It is not for the Left parties to finalise the names.'' The race for the Presidentship is gaining momentum, now that the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh are over. The names doing rounds in political circles are those of External Affaris Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and senior Congress leader Karan Singh.

ysterday, Trinamul Congress leader Mamata Bannerjee is understood to have proposed the name of former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee for the coveted office at a meeting of the NDA. Many senior politicians are pitching for promoting Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and there is also a talk going on about elevating Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to the high office.

UNI

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