JD(S) Surendra Mohan faction to support Pratibha Patil

Bangalore, June 28 (UNI) The Janata Dal(S) faction led by Surendra Mohan has decided to support the UPA-Left Presidential candidate Pratibha Patil.

Addressing newspersons here today he said the party's national executive meeting here had discussed the issue and decided to support Mrs Patil in the July 19 Presidential elections.

Mr Mohan informed that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and NCP President and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar appealed to him to support the UPA-Left sponsored candidate.

Even as the party had serious differences with UPA policies on agriculture, opening the Indian markets for MNCs in the area of retail trading and Centre's plans to introduce Seeds Act, the party took a decision to support Mrs Patil in the Presidential election.

Describing the NDA-sponsored Presidential candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as BJP's core cadre candidate, Mr Mohan alleged that nobody could accept him as a candidate enjoying pure secular credentials.

He said his faction had put a strong plea before the CEC, requesting for allotting the party's symbol as they represented the true policies and programmes of the party. After having joined hands with communal forces, former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda could not claim that he represented Janata Dal (Secular), he alleged.

UNI