Next President should be non-political person: Sharad Pawar

Mumbai, Apr 22: Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today said a "non-political" person could be an "ideal" choice as the country's next President, while denying that his party had endorsed P A Sangma as a possible candidate for the same.

"Both UPA and NDA don't have the required numbers to ensure that candidate of their choice gets elected as the next President. Hence, I feel that a non-political person can be an ideal choice," Pawar told reporters after inaugurating a girls' hostel in Navi Mumbai near here.

He was responding to a question whether NCP had suggested the name of party leader and former Lok Sabha speaker P A Sangma as a possible candidate. "We have a total of 16 MPs and know our limitations.

All political parties should initiate a dialogue to find out a consensus candidate on merit, who does not have political background," Pawar said, denying that the party had put forward Sagma's name. Pratibha Patil's term as President of India ends in July.

PTI