Cat Fight among National Parties for Presidential Post

The Left parties are of the opinion that they would take a decision on the presidential candidate after the "national picture" became clearer, West Bengal Left Front chief Biman Bose said. Terming the names proposed by the Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) for the presidential elections as based on "political calculations", Bose said: "The Left parties in New Delhi have not decided on this issue. They are ready to sit for discussions. After discussing the issue, they will announce their decision."

"Let the national picture become more clear," said Bose, who is also a politburo member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).

In between these a CPI-M source said that the Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee telephoned Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and sought the support of Left parties for the Congress' presidential candidate.

"Buddhadeb babu assured Pranab Mukherjee that he would discuss the matter in the party forum," the source also said.

The people of India are eagerly waiting for the next president. If all the 5 names suggestions fail there is also a chance for Meira Kumar to get the wild card for Presidentship.

(With IANS inputs)