Farooq turns down UNPA's Vice-President candidature offer

Srinagar, July 12 (UNI) Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today claimed that he had turned down an offer of the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) to contest on the post of Vice-President of India as the 'Third Front' candidate.

Addressing a news conference here, Dr Abdullah said he turned down the advice of his ''friends'' to contest the elections for the post of Vice-President.

The National Conference (NC) patron said he turned down the offer because he wanted to campaign extensively for his party in the next Assembly elections in the state scheduled for 2008.

Dr Abdullah said he will attend a meeting of the UNPA in New Delhi on July 14 to decide its stand on the Presidential and Vice Presidential elections.

The NC had earlier decided to join the UNPA, a newly formed outfit of eight regional parties, when Dr Abdullah attended a meeting of the alliance at the residence of Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Amar Singh in New Delhi on July 9.

TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala also attended the meeting.

UNI