Cong silent on UNPA claims, will only back Pratibha Patil

Varanasi, June 20 (UNI) Refusing to react on United Progressive National Alliance (UNPA) claims that President A P J Abdul Kalam is willing for a second term if there is consensus among all political parties, Congress today made it clear that Pratibha Patil remained the UPA candidate for the presidential election.

''Until and unless there is an official statement issued by the Rashtrapathi Bhawan about Dr Kalam's willingness for a second term to the supreme office, Congress will not react. We reiterate that Ms Patil is still the UPA candidate for presidential election and there is no change in our stand,'' Congress Working Committee member and Congress spokesperson for presidential election Devendra Dwivedi told newspersons here.

Further speaking about consensus among all parties for electing the next president, Mr Dwivedi said, ''Consensus means unanimity on the name proposed by the ruling party, representing the mandate of the electorate. But the BJP led NDA by sticking to the name of Mr Shekhawat, has proved it does not believe in well established democratic conventions,'' he noted.

''Consensus on the candidate proposed by the ruling dispensation means both Prime Minister and President will act together on all matters. The post of president is above party politics and by sticking for consensus on Mr Shekhawat's name, the NDA has proved that it does not respect long followed democratic conventions,'' Mr Dwivedi maintained.

''In the past when Congress was in opposition, it supported candidates of ruling dispensation on all three occasions -- Mr Neelam Sanjiv Reddy in 1977, Mr K R Narayanan in 1997 and lastly but not least A P J Abdul Kalam,'' he said.

MORE UNI