Prez polls: Karat, Bardhan, Raja call on Karuna

New Delhi, June 14: Mr Prakash Karat and Mr A B Bardhan, General Secretaries of the CPI(M) and the CPI respectively, today called on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and discussed the issue of the UPA and the Left parties fielding a strong candidate for contesting the July 19 Presidential election.

''All the candidates'' whose names were making the rounds were discussed at the 40-minute meeting, held at the new Tamil Nadu House here, Mr Karat told reporters.

Mr Karunanidhi is believed to have apprised the Left leaders of his discussions with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi immediately on his arrival here last evening.

''We have met Mr Karunanidhi and exchanged opinions and on that basis we have decided to meet again later in the evening,'' Mr Karat, who was also accompanied by CPI National Secretary D Raja, said.

Asked whether any consensus had been reached on the UPA-Left candidate, Mr Bardhan said the very fact that they would be meeting Mr Karunanidhi again meant no decision had been taken.

According to DMK sources, Mr Karunanidhi would meet Dr Singh and Ms Gandhi again at 1130 hrs today to convey the sentiments of the Left leaders, who have expressed strong reservations over the candidature of Home Minister Shivraj Patil. Mr Patil appeared to be the first preference of the Congress.

On his arrival at the airport, Mr Karunanidhi had said the UPA and the Left would announce their ''strong candidate'' within two days.

He had also acknowledged that he was here to mediate between the Congress and the Left on the issue of the Presidential nominee, the announcement of which was getting delayed in the absence of a consensus.

Among the other names that were under consideration were of Power Minister Sulshil Kumar Shinde, former Union Minister and veteran Congress leader Karan Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

UNI