Divided NDA to finalize its presidential candidate

New Delhi, June 17 (ANI): Leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will meet here in a short while from now to decide on their candidate for the July 19 presidential polls.

Top BJP leaders Lal Krishna Advani, Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj and Ananth Kumar met here last night to decide on the party's stand on the presidential candidate.

The NDA, however, appears to be divided house at the moment with reports that Janata Dal-United (JD-U) is of the view that a contest against United Progressive Alliance (UPA) backed candidate Pranab Mukherjee should be avoided.

Moreover, BJP MP Ram Jethmalani has expressed his eagerness to contest against Mukherjee. The noted criminal lawyer has told a leading news channel that he will not let the UPA nominee become the President unopposed for he has failed to disclose the names of those having black money stashed abroad.

The backing of former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma has also left the NDA in a tizzy, as it does not want to lose its ties with the allies. Sangma, who has so far been urging the leaders of various political outfits to back his candidature for the coveted post, has been campaigning on the ground that the country should have a tribal president.

"Our leaders such as Advani, Sushma and Gadkari talked to NDA leaders on telephone and talks are going on. We will take final decision after consulting everybody in the meeting that will be held tomorrow at 11 (a.m.)," BJP leader Ananth Kumar told media after the party's Core Group meeting here last evening.

The presidential elections will be held on July 19. The vote count will take place on July 22.

Pratibha Devisingh Patil's term as President ends on July 24.