'Prez's kin should refrain from contesting polls'

Reacting to reports of a kin of President Pratibha Patil being in the race for a Congress ticket for assembly polls in Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday said her family members should refrain from doing so keeping democratic norms in mind.

"We have heard that there are talks of a relative of the president getting a Congress ticket in Maharashtra for the Vidhan Sabha elections. It is our belief - keeping democratic norms in mind - that if members of the President's family members keep away from this, it would be better....for the constitution," BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.

Patil's son Rajendra Shekhawat is reported to be in the reckoning for a Congress ticket from Amravati for the October 13 polls. Amravati is a Congress strong-hold and there is a reportedly a tussle with the sitting MLA protesting the move to give Shekhawat a ticket.