VP candidate not from Congress: Brinda Karat

Bangalore, June 28: Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and Polit bureau member Brinda Karat today said the Left Parties would prefer a non-Congress nominee for the Vice-President's post after the present incumbent completes term.

Talking to newspersons here, She said though it was premature to focus on the selection of candidate for the next Vice-President the Left Parties have decided to insist on a non-Congress nominee.

The Left parties had agreed for the Congress nominee for the President's post as Congress was the dominant partner in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

''However, the Left parties perception was that the Vice-President's post should not go to Congress. It may be either from the Left party or Dravida Munnetra Kazagam (DMK) or any other alliance partner in the UPA and certainly not from the Congress,'' Ms Karat asserted.

Referring to recent controversies over the remark made by UPA-Left supported presidential candidate Prathibha Patil on 'Veil' (purdha) system' and her belief on God, the CPI(M) leader said the remarks were personal view of Ms Patil and already the UPA leaders have clarified on it.

''Every citizen is entitled to have his/her own belief but these things should not have any bearing on the discharge of public office,'' she said.

Criticising the (NDA) leaders to project Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as an Independent candidate, Ms Karat said people would not buy their theory.

UNI

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