Prez poll: Hectic consultations in UPA camp

NEW DELHI: Hectic consultations are scheduled today in the UPA camp on the Presidential election with Left parties slated to meet DMK chief M Karunanidhi and Congress leadership as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh deferred the cabinet meeting for Friday.

General Secretaries of CPI(M) and CPI, Prakash Karat and A B Bardhan, whose parties have reservations about Shivraj Patil's candidature, will meet Karunanidhi in the morning and discuss the issue of the UPA nominee.

After meeting the Left leaders, Karunanidhi will be having a second round of talks with Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi around noon at the Prime Minister's residence.

The Left party leaders are later scheduled to meet Singh and Gandhi in a bid to evolve a consensus on the issue.

Karunanidhi had met Singh and Gandhi on Wednesday and later said two-three names were under discussion for the UPA nominee.

Meanwhile, a weekly cabinet scheduled on Thursday was deferred till Friday for holding consultation on the presidential election.