Race for President post: DMK leader joins top level Congress huddle at 10 Janpath

New Delhi, June 14 (ANI): DMK leader T.R. Baalu on Thursday joined senior Congress leaders in a meeting with UPA chief Sonia Gandhi at her 10, Janpath residence, a day after Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee joining hands to reject the candidature of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as president.

Talking to reporters after meeting Gandhi, Baalu said his leader Karunanidhi has also suggested a name for president, but declined to reveal who it was.

"I cannot reveal the name just yet as it is a matter between these two leaders," he said.

Baalu also said that Sonia Gandhi was likely to announce the UPA presidential candidate this week.

Gandhi also met Mukherjee and Defence Minister A.K. Antony at her official residence.

The Congress Core Committee is expected to meet this evening to take a final call on who will be the party's presidential candidate.

Banerjee and Mulayam have announced the names of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee as their preferred choices for the July 19 presidential poll.

"Our first choice for president is APJ Abdul Kalam, the second choice is PM Manmohan Singh and third choice is Somnath Chatterjee," said Mulayam after meeting Mamata.

The latest developments appear to be a major blow for the ruling Congress Party, as both Mamata and Mulayam have rejected the names of Mukherjee and Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari.

Mamata, who met Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday, remains non-committal over the UPA chairperson's suggestion, saying she would revert on the issue after discussing it with her Trinamool Congress colleagues.

"I had a detailed discussion with her. Sonia Gandhi told that Pranab Mukherjee is first choice for President and the second choice is (Vice-President) Hamid Ansari," she told media.

Banerjee also said that she had told Gandhi that she would go back and discuss with her Trinamool Congress colleagues and revert on the issue.

Trinamool Congress, with 19 members in the Lok Sabha, is the largest constituent of UPA after the Congress. On the other hand, the Samajwadi Party, which has 22 members in the Lok Sabha, is an outside supporter of the ruling alliance.

A fresh round of consultations on the issue of selection of a presidential nominee is taking place in the UPA, after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) authorised Gandhi to decide on the candidates for the coming presidential and vice presidential elections.

Gandhi has so far held discussions with DMK chief Karunanidhi, NCP leader Sharad Pawar and RLD chief Ajit Singh on the presidential candidate. (ANI)