'Speculation on Prez candidate must be avoided'

New Delhi, May 18: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who has apparently emerged as the front runner in the race for the post of President, today clarified that all the media reports were speculative and said he would fulfil whatever responsibilities the Congress leadership assign to him.

''I would like to state that I am a Congress man. My role in the party and in the Government is decided by the Congress leadership.

Whatever responsibilities are assigned to me, I try to discharge those to the best of my capabilities,'' Mr Mukherjee said in a statement released here.

Pointing out that a number of news items have appeared in the past few days on the Presidential candidates, he said they were all speculative in nature.

''Any speculation in this matter should be avoided,'' he observed.

Though the names of a number of probable candidates for the post were floated in the media but the recent reports that Left parties were in favour of Mr Mukherjee has resulted in the possibility of his occupying the Rashtrapati Bhavan becoming stronger.

Among the candidates for the Presidential elections Mr Mukherjee, Power Minister Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde, Home Minister Mr Shivraj Patil and Dr Karan Singh from the Congress, Lok Sabha speaker Mr Somnath Chatterjee from Left Parties and Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat from the BJP have come up.

Meanwhile, a large number of people and politicians like Bihar Chief Minsiter Nitish Kumar are in favour of giving second term to President A P J Abdul Kalam, most political parties are in favour of bringing a person from political background and high credibility in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

However, most political parties are keeping their cards closed to their chest. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has refused to comment on the issue of UPA nominee for the President's post satating that it was too early to comment on it. The Congress, meanwhile, has said that it would first hold informal talks within the party and its allies in the UPA, then Left parties and opposition to arrive at a consensus candidate.

The NDA has authorised former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to decide its candidate for the post. Though Trinamool Congress President Mamta Banerjee favoured Mr Vajpayee occupying the top post, the former Prime Minister has clarified that he was not in the race.

This has made Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as the most likely NDA candidate who in case of an election to the Presidential post would give a fight to the UPA's candidate.

UNI

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