New Delhi, May 21: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today remained non-committal on Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee as the next President but strongly backed Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar for the post.
It was for Congress Party to decide who it's candidate was, she said adding in a democracy everything depended on the majority.
However, she went on to say,”But if you ask my party's choice or the personal choice, then I'll say, I love Meira Kumar. She is a soft-spoken lady from the scheduled caste background.”
“That I do not know, but I will be very happy to see if Meira Kumar or Gopal Gandhi or even A P J Abdul Kalam...These three names are better, I think so,” she told CNN IBN when asked about her party's stand on the next President.
To a query about not mentioning Mukherjee on her wishlist for the President's post, Banerjee said,”No, I didn't say, but if it (Congress) allows him who am I to oppose it? It depends on the majority. It is a democratic country.
“He (Mukherjee) is finance minister...for Pranab Mukherjee I am very much sincere. About this I am very much serious. It's Congress party's decision (as to) who will be the candidate. We cannot say. I cannot interfere in Congress party's business.”
Banerjee, chief of Tranamool Congress, which runs a coalition government with the Congress in West Bengal, said, “Is he the son of Bengal? He may the son of world....I don't think so but it is his choice. I don't know.”
