Mulayam to talk to Mamata before deciding Presidential candidate

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Benerjee during their meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Wednesday said his party will firm up its position on the issue of Presidential elections after holding discussions with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee.

“Mamata Banerjee had come to me yesterday. However, I will not disclose what we discussed,” said Mr. Yadav, whose party’s support will be crucial for election of the next President.

He said he would reciprocate Ms. Banerjee’s gesture by discussing the issue of Presidenial elections with her before his party decides on whom to support.

Mr. Yadav’s remarks came a day after Ms. Banerjee said that she would talk to the Samajwadi Party leader again after meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday evening on the issue of UPA’s Presidential candidate.

On Jaswant Singh’s meeting with him on Tuesday, Mr. Yadav said the BJP leader had discussed the issue of President and Vice-President elections.

Meanwhile, sources in the SP said the party leadership was inclined to support the candidature of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for the next President.

Mr. Yadav is understood to have told party MPs recently that he personally would prefer Mr. Mukherjee but a final decision could only be taken after the Congress officially comes up with a name.