Prez poll: JD(U) will not name candidate on its own

Ahead of the crucial National Democratic Alliance meeting, Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav on Friday made it clear that his party will not be proposing the name of any candidate for the Presidential poll and said it will go with the collective choice on the issue.

There had been indication from JD(U) earlier that the party finds "unusual" the proposal to advance the name of A P J Abdul Kalam for the poll.

A party leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, has said that it was very unusual that a retired president was being named as a candidate again.

Yadav, however, remained non-committal on the issue of whether his party will back Kalam's candidature after indications that the Bharatiya Janata Party could throw its weight behind the former President whose name was proposed by the Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee in a dramatic turn of events within the UPA.

"We will take a decision after the NDA meeting...What is the point in unnecessarily coming out with names when a decision has not yet being taken. I cannot decide alone, there is already a collective decision within the NDA that we will take a view on whatever situation emerges," Yadav said.

Significantly, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had on Thursday received Kalam on his arrival at Patna where he is scheduled to attend two functions.