'No party can impose Prez candidate on coalition'

New Delhi, June 13: Left parties today made it clear that no single party can propose any particular name for the President's post and impose its choice on coalition partners, adding they would talk to friendly parties in the UPA to ensure that the ruling coalition fields a ''winnable'' candidate in the election to the post.

Top leaders of the CPI(M), CPI and Forward Bloc said if the Left parties were pushed to corner, the demand for review of support to the Congress-led coalition would gain momentum.

The sources told UNI that a top Congress leader has been meeting the Left leaders seeking unconditional support of the Left parties for the Congress nominee. ''However, the Congress leader does not mention any name during discussions.'' The Left leaders' assertion came a day after their joint meeting here wherein they threw broad hints that Home Minister Shivraj Patil did not fit in their criterion of a ''winnable'' candidate.

CPI(M) senior leader Mohammad Salim told UNI that ''no single party can come out with a name and push others to accept it as a fate accompli.'' Mr Salim, the party Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha, stated that all the four Left parties including the RSP would take a common stand on the issue and begin to hold consultations with them. ''Indeed, we are already in touch with them.'' The Left parties had been from the very beginning impressing upon the UPA leadership about the criterion for the Presidential candidate which included that the candidate must be a political personality with proven secular credentials and one who could manage a fine balance between the Executive and the Judiciary.

''Besides, he must be a winning candidate.'' CPI National Secretary Shamim Faizi asserted that the Left would also like to have a ''greater say'' in the selection of the Vice President with the post falling vacant in August.

Mr Faizi deplored that the UPA was out to push the Left to a situation where it would have to hasten the process of review of their support to the Manmohan Singh government.

Mr Mohammad emphasised that because of fragmentation of political scenario in the present context, the Presidential candidate was going to emerge through the process of prolonged consultations because he or she must have the maximum acceptability.

''Such a name will not only ensure the victory of the UPA sponsored candidate, but also expose the political bickering of the BJP-led NDA,'' the CPI(M) leader said.

Besides, the Congress leadership has to bear in mind the larger political context and the political contour of the electoral college.

On the possibility of a dark horse emerging in the race for the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the Left leader said Mr Shekhawat could give a formidable challenge.

It was understood that the Left was not averse to the possible ''dark horse'' - the HRD Minister Arjun Singh for whom DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister had already given the hint to the UPA leadership.

Media reports suggested that the final decision of the Third Front could be announced on June 18. The development could be further analysed in the reported remark of AIADMK President Jayalalithaa yesterday that the Front would not like to support either the UPA or the NDA.

UNI