by IANS,
Patna : Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Thursday said his party would support the Congress party’s choice of presidential candidate and slammed political parties for “making a joke” of the issue.
Slamming other political parties for announcing candidates of their own, the RJD chief said Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s choice for the top post will be supported by his party.
“The post of president is very prestigious. Politicians have made a joke of it… Every one is roaming around with a name in his pocket,” the RJD chief told reporters on the sidelines of a tour he is undertaking in Bihar from Motihari to Gaya.
“All parties should arrive on a conclusion for the presidential poll. Whatever Sonia ji wants should happen,” he said.
The Congress has said union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Hamid Ansari were the party’s preference for the top job.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, who were invited for consultations by Sonia Gandhi and informed of the names of Mukherjee and Ansari sprung a surprise Wednesday evening by announcing three names of their own – virtually rejecting the Congress’ choice. They named Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee and former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as their choice. The Congress has rejected all three names.