AIADMK rules out support for Pratibha Patil

CHENNAI: The AIADMK on Saturday ruled out support to Pratibha Patil, the UPA-Left nominee for Presidential election, saying it "will not and cannot" support a Congress candidate.
    
"We have nothing against Pratibha Patil. But as far as AIADMK is concerned, we have already announced that we will not support a Congress candidate. It does not matter whether the candidate is a man or woman," AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa told reporters after the party's executive committee meeting which authorised her to take a decision on the party's stand on Presidential poll.
    
Asked if AIADMK had taken the decision unilaterally, Jayalalithaa claimed it was a collective decision of the parties of the newly-floated eight-party Front.
    
She said the Front had three options before it-- to put up a candidate of its own, support the candidature of a person who had already announced his intention of contesting or abstain from Presidential election.
    
A decision would be taken at a meeting of Front leaders here on June 18, she said. a