Prez poll: Pranab tightlipped on support for his candidature

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Amid growing support for him as UPA's presidential candidate, Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday preferred to remain tightlipped on the issue as party's influential MP Adhir Chowdhury remarked that they would like to see him return as the country's President.

"We hope that he (Mukherjee) will be back here as the president of the country," Chowdhury told a Congress workers' meeting here, which was presided by Mukherjee.

Mukherjee, however, evaded the issue and said "I have to cut short my stay and leave for Delhi today evening as I have important meetings to attend there." Mukherjee's possible candidature has infact been the refrain in party programmes during his two-day visit since Saturday to Murshidabad, whose Jangipur constituency is represented by him.

He had said in Kolkata yesterday that no one could become president on his own wish. "It is decided by the party. Party nominates. No one can become president on his own wish."

Janardan Dwivedi, head of the Congress media department and general secretary said in Delhi Saturday that no name had been finalised yet and the process of discussions with the allies and supporting allies is on.