HYDERABAD: The Telugu Desam may support a common candidate if fielded by all opposition parties in the presidential election. The party, in any case, will not support the UPA candidate. It may not support a BJP candidate either. But, if all the regional parties and the BJP agree on a candidate, the TDP may support him or her.BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitely are in touch with TD Parliamentary Party leader T Devender Goud in this regard. The BJP leaders asked the other regional parties to suggest the name of a candidate of their choice. “BJP leaders have been asking all the parties to name a candidate for the presidential election. The BJP, it seems, is not interested in projecting the common opposition candidate as its own,” a TDP MP said. If the opposition candidate is selected unanimously and the BJP does not want to project him as its candidate, then the TDP may support the opposition candidate.The TDP is of the view that Pranab Mukherjee’s candidacy has almost been finalised by the Congress. Pranab has been brought into the picture only to protect the political prospects of Rahul Gandhi, another TDP MP pointed out. If the Congress is able to form the next government at the Centre in 2014, Pranab will not be in the race for prime minister’s position and it will be easy for Rahul Gandhi to ascend the throne. That is why the Congress is clearing the obstacle to Rahul Gandhi by sending Pranab to Rashtrapati Bhavan, the MP added.The TDP is demanding that a BC be elected President this time. If all the opposition parties jointly field former president APJ Abdul Kalam, it may back him.
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