Presidential poll: Issue of who will be the next President still open, says BJP

NEW DELHI: BJP today said that the issue of who will be the next President was still open and it will hold more consultation with its allies to arrive at a decision.

"The Presidential poll process has just started. No one has filed the nomination papers...UPA has only announced its candidate and Pranab Mukherjee as their candidate.

"It is not yet locked. It is open. Who will be the next President is not yet decided...BJP and NDA are holding serious discussions on this," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters here.

"The Presidential poll is still totally open," Hussain said, while rejecting reports of differences within NDA, saying since this is an election for the country's top job, more discussions were required.

"NDA is united, is together and is in one voice," he said, adding that "Shiv Sena was also fully with NDA and not much should be read into its absence at NDA meeting today."

He said that party leader L K Advani will hold discussions with NDA chief ministers, as well as with other leaders.

Hussain said since this is a decision regarding the President, BJP will not take a decision before talking to its chief ministers and its allies.

"NDA will reach out to its chief ministers and other parties also and then we will discuss (the issue) again... L K Advani is in touch with all," he said.

Hussain parried questions on whether BJP or NDA will field its candidate against Mukherjee.