RJD president Lalu Prasad on Tuesday said his party would support Vice President Hamid Ansari as the Presidential candidate.
“Our Vice President Hamid Ansari should be made the President. He is a good candidate for the President’s post. He should be upgraded as the President,” Mr. Prasad told reporters outside Parliament.
Asked about his party’s stand on former President APJ Abdul Kalam, the RJD leader said, “Kalam has already been the President. Now Ansari should be made because he is an able person and his performance is also best in the Rajya Sabha.”
Presidential elections will be held in July and the UPA has to depend on other parties as it does not have required numbers to elect a President on its own strength.
BSP supremo Mayawati said, “It is too early to comment on it. Let the name of candidate be declared first and then only we will make our stand known.”
BJP leader Rajnath Singh said, “We do not want to comment on any individual. But our view is that there should be a consensus among all political parties on the candidature of the President.”
Janata Dal (U) leader Sharad Yadav also refused to comment on any name for the Presidential candidate, saying, “Let’s first hold talks on the issue.”