Talks on Prez candidate to gain momentum after Ex meet: BJP

"We have not taken a decision on Presidential elections so far. After the meeting is over, we will discuss it within and then with NDA allies and then reach out to non-Congress parties," BJP Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters here.

He said the issue is unlikely to be discussed in the two-day executive meeting which begins tomorrow as such matters do not form part of such conclaves.

On the question of supporting Sangma, he said he will not make any comment.

"The party will decide. There is no scope for any individual likes and dislikes."

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Sangma has been endorsed for the President's post by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik.

Recently, BJP leader Sushma Swaraj had given a new turn to the Presidential race by ruling out supporting Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Vice-President Hamid Ansari or any other candidate who may be put up by the Congress.

"We will not accept any Congress candidate, including Pranab Mukherjee, for the President's post," senior BJP member Sushma Swaraj had told reporters here.

"We are looking at the 2014 elections and do not want to give the impression that we have any truck with the Congress," Swaraj had said.

Swaraj had come under attack from key NDA ally JD-U for unilaterally announcing its stand on the issue.

Incidentally, Sangma's party NCP has distanced itself from his venture with Sharad Pawar insisting that his party's stand would be in consonance with the UPA.

The Congress has utilised the NCP's stand in giving a cold shoulder to Sangma whom party chief Sonia Gandhi has not met despite he seeking an appointment.