The Communist Party of India-Marxist's suggestion that the ruling alliance's vice-presidential candidate need not be a person with political background has led to confusion in the United Progressive Alliance.
Sources in the Congress say it is strange that CPM general secretary Prakash Karat should have talked in this manner on the issue after favouring a political person for the President's post.
It is being pointed out that many a time the vice-president becomes the President and therefore the logic of Karat appeared not in order.
The Lok Sabha already has a Left presiding officer in Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, who is a political person and therefore Karat could be deliberately talking about a non- political person with Left leanings for the other House, the sources said.
Adopting a different line, Karat had on Thursday said the vice-president should be a person who has an exemplary record in some field and should have the widest acceptance.
"We have said that the candidate need not have a political background. According to us, it should be someone who has made a contribution," Karat had said.
A decision on UPA's vice-presidential candidate is likely to be taken jointly after the Presidential elections.
Meanwhile, top Congress leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party chief Sonia Gandhi, had a meeting on Friday night.
Though the agenda of the Congress Core Group was not known, the issue of the vice-presidential election could have come up for deliberation. The ruling alliance has to finalise a candidate for the poll within a week.