Mamata backs Meira Kumar, non-committal on Pranab

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 is for the Congress party to decide who it’s candidate is, she said, adding in a democracy everything depends on the majority.

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. I will be very happy to see if Meira Kumar or Gopal Gandhi or A P J Abdul Kalam features in the list. 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 the 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, the chief of the Trinamool Congress that runs a coalition government with the Congress in West Bengal, said, “Is he (Pranab Mukherjee) the son of Bengal? He may the son of world...I don't think so but it is his choice. I don't know.”