Shekhawat seeks support for Prez election from Jyoti Basu

Kolkata, May 31 (UNI) Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat today met veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu to seek the support of Left parties for his candidature in the Presidential election.

However, Mr Basu told him that the Left parties would support the Congress candidate.

''We had a cordial meeting, but I told Mr Shekhawat that as far as Presidential election is concerned, we will support the Congress candidate,'' Mr Basu told reporters.

The Vice-President, who had a couple of programmes in the city, met the nonagenarian CPI(M) leader at his Salt Lake residence, on his way from the NSCBI airport.

The presidential election is scheduled to be held this August.

Though the BJP had announced the present vice-president's name for the election, the Congress is yet to disclose the name of its candidate.

UNI