Paswan to support UPA candidate for Presidency

Lok Janshakti Party chief Ramvilas Paswan on Sunday said his party would support United Progressive Alliance candidate for Presidency.

Asked about the candidature of former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma for the top post, he said "all are our friends. But we will support only the candidate as chosen by UPA."

Sangma's candidature has been backed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and her Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik.

As part of the "intensified efforts" to garner support for Sangma, Jayalalithaa today spoke to top leaders of several non-Congress parties including BJP veteran L K Advani, seeking their support to the tribal leader from the north-east who "has all the qualifications" (to become President) in the coming Presidential polls.

In response to a question on the Lokpal bill, Paswan alleged anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare was trying to bypass Parliament "which is not acceptable to us."

"We are not opposing Lokpal bill but still we cannot accept the demand of Anna Hazare."

He voiced his opposition to bringing CBI under ambit of Lokpal bill, saying it was not correct.

He demanded a separate body on the lines of Union Public Services Commission for judiciary so that adequate reservation could be made in its posts.