With signs of Congress veteran and Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee occupying the Rashtrapati Bhavan, next, becoming increasingly clear, DMK party treasurer and heir-apparent M.K. Stalin on Thursday asserted that his party would support any presidential candidate fielded by the Congress.
While responding to a question on whether his party will back the candidature of Mr Mukherjee, the former deputy chief minister shot back saying, “Anybody fielded by the Congress is acceptable to us.” He added, “That was conveyed by party president Kalaignar to union defence minister A.K. Antony.” On May 5, DMK supremo Mr Karunanidhi had said in Chennai that his party would have no objection if Pranab Mukherjee were chosen as the presidential candidate.
Mr Stalin who is in the national capital called on PM Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Pranab Mukherjee. After a 15 minute meeting with Dr Singh at south block, Mr Stalin who was accompanied by senior party leader T.R. Baalu said that he conveyed to the Prime Minister that his party would go along with the Congress on the choice of presidential candidate. He also added that Dr Singh told him that the decision to finalise the candidate was left to the party leader Mrs Gandhi by the Congress Working Committee (CWC).