Patil no compromise candidate, says Congress

New Delhi, June 15 (UNI) The Congress today sought to dispel the impression that Ms Pratibha Patil was a compromise candidate for the presidential post and that her final choice meant that the other hopefuls were not men of eminent stature.

Congress Spokesperson Jayanti Natrajan told reporters that the party was proud to put forward a woman candidate who had been chosen as a UPA-Left nominee. ''It is a matter of great pride.'' She hastened to make it clear that the others in the race were eminent personalities but since there was only one post available and only one official candidate had to be chosen, the rest all, though eminent, could not be chosen.

Asked whether the Third Front would vote for the UPA candidate, Ms Natrajan said the people deployed to mobilise their support would do the needful. Let first Mr Shekhawat announce his candidature only then the question of support would arise, she said.

Replying to a question, she ruled out the possibility of any whip to be issued for party members. ''I do not think it is possible to issue whip.'' Ms Natrajan regretted the fact that the BJP had not responded positively to the offer of consensus on UPA Presidential nominee Pratibha Patil and recalled that the last time it was the Congress which had supported the candidature of NDA nominee Abdul Kalam.

''The BJP lacks the grace to come forward and accept Mrs Patil's candidature,'' she said.

UNI