We are not afraid of presidential contest: Congress

The Congress on Wednesday said it did not fear a presidential contest and that BJP leader Sushma Swaraj's remark that Vice President Hamid Ansari lacked the stature for the top job was unfortunate.

"It (Sushma's remark) is unfortunate... it is nice to have a consensus but we are not afraid of a contest," Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary told reporters in Delhi.

"We will talk to all the parties to evolve a consensus," she said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has said it would not support a Congress candidate as India's next president and wanted the government to support former president APJ Abdul Kalam for a second term at the office.