Presidential polls: BJP, JD(U) appeal to each other for consensus

PATNA: Amid the rift in NDA over the Presidential poll, BJP and JD-U today appealed to each other to review their decision on the issue of backing Pranab Mukherjee's candidature for the top Constitutional post.

"We also appeal to the BJP to back the candidature of a seasoned and experienced politician like Pranab Mukherjee so that a person with intelligence and commitment to the Constitution and Parliamentary democracy occupies the chair of President," senior JD-U leader Shivanand Tiwari said.

He was responding to the statement by BJP national spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad, who said," we appeal to JD(U) and Shiv Sena to review their decision to support Mukherjee in the presidential poll and instead back NDA nominee P A Sangma in the election for the top constitutional post."

The split in the NDA over the Presidential nominee came out in the open yesterday, with both BJP and JD-U addressing separate press conferences on the issue.

While the former announced its backing to Sangma's candidature, the latter declared in unequivocal terms its support to Mukherjee.

JD-U chief Sharad Yadav, who is also the NDA convener, had, however, sought to make it clear that supporting the UPA candidate does not mean that it will have an impact on the future of NDA alliance and that the anti-Congressism of his party will remain.

Yadav had said that his party was supporting Mukherjee's candidature as it feels that after A P J Abdul Kalam's exit from the race, there is no point in the contest and that there should be a consensus on the President's election.