Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Rajya Sabha member Naresh Gujral rubbished media speculation that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is in the fray for the vice president's post, saying the latter is extremely happy in his state.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Rajya Sabha member Naresh Gujral on Sunday rubbished media speculation that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is in the fray for the vice president's post, saying the latter is extremely happy in his state.
"I want to make one thing very clear, which is in speculation in the media since yesterday, that Sardar Parkash Singh Badal is not the candidate for the Vice President's post. I want to make this very clear before you that even if he is offered the Vice President's post, he will not take it," said Gujral.
"He is very happy in Punjab and the people of Punjab are very happy with his work. He got a majority in the elections. So, one decision that Sardar Parkash Singh Badal and our party has decided that he will stay in Punjab," he added.
According to certain media reports, NDA is proposing to push Parkash Singh Badal's name as nominee for vice president.
Badal has been the five-time chief minister and regarded as one of the very senior political figures of the country. He is also highly respected and has acceptability among most of the political parties including Congress also to some extent due to his personal goodwill and rapport.
Badal took over the reins of Punjab for the fifth record time in March becoming the longest serving chief minister of Punjab.
Gujral further said the Shiromani Akali Dal would abide by the decision that the NDA would take.
"The NDA will decide on it. The Akali Dal has always been a disciplined member of NDA. Whatever decisions will be taken there (in the NDA meeting), our party will follow it," he said.
To a question on whether the NDA is intact to fight the presidential poll, Gujral said: "The NDA was always intact and will remain intact. In fact, it will become a greater NDA, the Vajpayee era rainbow coalition is again coming into formation.
The NDA, which is meeting at the moment to finalize its candidate for the July 19 presidential poll, appears to be a divided house.
There is a section within the NDA, particularly the Janata Dal-United (JD-U), which is of the view that a contest against UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee should be avoided, as there could be embarrassment for the coalition.
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.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}