NDA meet on presidential candidate begins in Delhi

A meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, the main opposition group in parliament, began here on Sunday to decide upon supporting United Progressive Alliance's presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee.

The meeting being held at senior BJP leader LK Advani's residence is being attended by top leaders of the NDA allies including Janata Dal-United (JD(U)), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) party and the BJP.

The Congress-led UPA alliance had named Mukherjee as its candidate Friday for the July-19 presidential poll for which nomination can be filed till Jun 30.

The NDA may consider fielding its own candidate against Mukherjee. It could also consider the candidature of former president APJ Abdul Kalam proposed by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, or former speaker P.A. Sangma, as suggested by All India ADMK chief J Jayalalithaa and Biju Janata Dal chief Naveen Patnaik.