Raisina Hill race: Yeddyurappa hints at support for Pranab

Bangalore/New Delhi, June 20 (ANI): Former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Wednesday hinted that he was supporting the UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee for the presidential election, but said a final call on the appropriate candidate for the august office of President of India would be taken by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) High Command.

"How can I support him? He is a very suitable man for this august post, but I have got my limitations. It is left to the High Command to take appropriate decision, so far they have not taken any decision. As a party man, how can I take any decision?" he told the media here.

Yeddyurappa further refused to comment when asked whether he had a telephonic conversation with Mukherjee in this regard.

"I don't want to discuss about it in the media," he said.

Yeddyurappa, who claims to have the support of 75 of the BJP's 120 MLAs in the Karnataka Assembly, is determined to be reinstated as the state chief minister despite the corruption charges against him.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has deferred its meeting on the presidential poll today, as there is no fresh development since A P J Abdul Kalam withdrew from the race.

As uncertainty over former Lok Sabha speaker and NCP leader P.A. Sangma's candidature for the presidential poll continues, the NDA will also keep a close eye on the meeting of the Left parties on presidential poll to be held on Thursday.

The NDA during its nearly two-hour long meeting earlier on Sunday failed to firm up a position on the presidential election, as it was divided over opposing UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee and there was lack of clarity on extending support to Sangma.

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.(ANI)