Mayawati supports Pranab Mukherjee as President; says support to UPA will continue

LUCKNOW: Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati came out in support of Pranab Mukherjee as Presidential candidate in the name of defeating communal forces. Speaking to the media just after the Congress announced Pranab Mukherjee's name on Friday evening Mayawati said that despite several shortcomings in the UPA-II government her party would support Pranab Mukherjee as President of the country and expect him to win comfortably.

"Among all the names that have been proposed for the post of President, Pranab Mukherjee is the most suitable and serious candidate. Congress president Sonia Gandhi spoke to me about his candidature and my party will support his name" Mayawati said.

She said though BSP was against UPA-II's policy especially due to inflation, joblessness and corruption but despite that we will support the UPA-II for the Presidential race to avoid communal party's taking advantage of the situation.

She said that her party supports UPA-II government and would continue to do so in the future also. She said that BSP would decide about the Vice Presidential nominee when the names come out in the open.

She took a pot shot at Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh saying that Yadav is in the bait of ditching allies. "He changes his statements every 2-3 hours. Yadav addressed a joint press conference with Mamata Banerjee to announce names supported by them for the Presidential election but within a few hours said that the names were not proposed by him" Mayawati said.

She hoped that the President's election is done through consensus to set a good precedent.