NEW DELHI: Though the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the Left parties have an edge in the electoral college for Presidential elections, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) is hopeful of a "maximum possible" consensus on a candidate who subscribes to democratic and secular values.

"The point is not in having an edge and going in for a contest. We want to have maximum possible support for a candidate with secular credentials who will safeguard our Constitutional rights. In a few days, we hope to arrive at a decision. Consultations are on," CPI (M)'s Polit Bureau member and MP Sitaram Yechurysaid here on Saturday. (According to a PTI report, Mr. Yechury met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday.)

Mr. Yechury refused to discuss the merits or demerits of the names suggested by newspersons — Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Somnath Chatterjee, Pranab Mukherjee, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Karan Singh — and refuted suggestions that some of the names were aired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during meetings with Left leaders.

He reserved comments on whether a candidate suggested by the Congress would be acceptable to the Left. But pointed out that in the past the Left had supported the candidature of Shankar Dayal Sharma and K.R. Narayanan whose names were proposed by the Congress.

On the possibility of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati insisting on a Dalit as the next President, he said this was a "simplistic" notion because she had fought the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections on the slogan of accommodating the upper castes. However, the UPA-Left would retain the edge even if the BSP did not seek a consensus but the margin with the National Democratic Alliance would come down.

He said the Left was striving for a third alternative forged through mass struggles and shared ideological values on issues such as communalism.

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