By IANS,
New Delhi : Opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) convenor Sharad Yadav Wednesday said they had “good relations” with Pranab Mukherjee, but remained non-committal on the finance minister’s candidature for the president’s post.
“The ruling alliance always proposes the candidate. NDA will decide after that if we have to go another way. Why should we fire in air,” Yadav said here to media persons.
Asked if the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA will support Mukherjee, he said: “Did they declare Pranab babu’s name? We have good relations with Pranab-ji. But has his name been proposed?. When official proposal comes, we will decide.”
Although, Pranab Mukherjee is by all indications the front-runner, some dark horse could well emerge out of the political confabulations, depending on the bargaining power of each party.
The Janata Dal-United (JD-U) chief also said the NDA had not zeroed in on Jaswant Singh as its vice-presidential candidate.
Singh’s name popped up for the post Tuesday after he met Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.
“People meet each other. We have not decided for any name in any meeting of NDA. Only Jaswant Singh can tell whom did he meet and why did he meet. It is normal. We keep meeting,” he added.