Bengal Congress leader appeals Mamata to support Pranab

Kolkata, Jun 11: As

is being widely seen as the Congress' presidential choice, Congress leader and minister in West Bengal Manas Bhuniya today appealed Trinamool Congress chief

to support Pranab Mukherjee if the High Command makes him the candidate.

"I would like to appeal to the top leader of the Trinamool Congress that she support Pranab babu if he is made the candidate for the President post by our party High Command," Bhuniya told newspersons here.

On why he was making the appeal, Bhuniya said, "We are worried about the Trinamool Congress' non-committal attitude, it is significantly quiet in this matter."

He noted that sometimes differences could be there among allies and coalition partners, but they should support each other on larger issues. "We consider Pranab babu as a worthy candidate," he said.

Claiming that it would be a matter of pride for Bengal if Mukherjee, Union Finance Minister, becomes the President, Bhuniya said, "I consider him as a human computer. He has vast knowledge of history, economics, politics and international relations and issues."

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has been repeatedly appealing to the Centre for a three-year moratorium on debt servicing to financially revive the cash-strapped state, had recently commented that Mukherjee is a "son of the world rather than a son of the soil".

She has so far remained non-committal on Mukherjee's candidature and has instead suggested the names of former President APJ Abdul Kalam, former West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi and Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.

PTI