BSP authorises Mayawati to decide on President

New Delhi, May 26: The Bahujan Samaj Party has authorised party Supremo Mayawati to take a decision on whom to support for Presidential elections.

Ms Mayawati told reporters here today that after a meeting of the Party's National Executive here last night, it was decided that the final decision in the matter should be left to her.

''The proposal was put forward by party's general secretary Satish Misra and was passed with consensus,'' she said.

She refused to answer a question whether she would be supporting a Congress-sponsored candidate, saying that the final decision in the matter would be taken after she holds consultations with the MLAs of Uttar Pradesh who could not come to yesterday's meeting here.

Ms Mayawati today had a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and also UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi at a luncheon at his residence. The issue of presidential candidate is believed to have come up for discussion during the meeting.

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister had a meeting with Ms Sonia Gandhi yesterday too.

Ms Mayawati had arrived here yesterday for the first time after taking over as chief minister of the state for the fourth time.

The BSP National Executive meeting discussed the organisational matters and reviewed the functioning of various party units and gave new guidelines to state units in view of the coming Lok Sabha elections.

In the meeting, Ms Mayawati said her party's base in Uttar Pradesh had expanded from 'Bahujan' to all sections of the society, and other state units too strive towards that.

UNI