LUCKNOW: Union Agriculture Minister and Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar on Saturday said the United Progressive Alliance appealed to all parties to support the candidature of Pratibha Patil for President.

There were many offices which should be seen above party lines, he told a press conference here.

Asked about a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh on Saturday, Mr. Pawar said it was not a question of the UPA approaching any particular party. It had appealed to all parties and combinations, including the NDA.

Mr. Pawar recalled that in 2002 he accepted the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's proposal to support A.P.J. Abdul Kalam for President. The UPA partners would meet in the next couple of days and work would be distributed to them for mustering support for Ms. Patil in various States. Mr. Pawar said Ms. Patil had a clean image and was experienced in administration.

No changes in PDS

Mr. Pawar, who was here to inaugurate the National Horticulture Summit, 2007, ruled out changes in the Public Distribution System. He said there was adequate wheat stock in buffer.

With around 108 lakh tonnes procured till Friday, there would be no shortage in the PDS. In the next 12 months, the buffer stock would be increased from 40 lakh tonnes to 50 lakh tonnes.

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