Farooq Abdullah pledges support for Ansari in VP poll

Source: PTI

July 14, 2012 16:32 IST

The National Conference on Saturday pledged support for Hamid Ansari who appears to be the Congress choice in the vice presidential poll scheduled next month.

"We will support Ansari's candidature for the post of the vice-president. He is a good man," NC chief and Union Minister Farooq Abdullah told the media in New Delhi. His comments came ahead of a meeting of the United Progressive Alliance to finalise the candidature of incumbent Vice President Ansari.

Asked about the Trinamool Congress suggesting the name of Gopalkrishna Gandhi, he said each one can give individual names. "But UPA-II suggested

id="div_arti_inline_advt">

only his name and we are hopeful of a win," he said.

A decision on Ansari as United Progressive Alliance's candidate, which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had mentioned to various non-UPA leaders when seeking support, is likely to be taken at the meeting.

The UPA is comfortably placed in the electoral college comprising 790 MPs. With the backing of outside supporters like Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party and others, the UPA has nearly 500 MPs on its side.

The last day for filing nomination for Vice Presidential election is July 20, a day after the Presidential poll.

Get Rediff News in your Inbox: