Chennai: Key UPA ally DMK on Tuesday rejected the contention that the choice of candidate for the Vice-Presidential poll was based on regional consideration.
"For the post of President and Vice-President, persons are not picked according to the four directions. We have made the recommendations based on the (prevailing) situation and atmosphere (for the presidential candidate)," DMK chief M Karunanidhi told reporters here.
He was answering a query if his party would seek nomination of a candidate from south India after Congress propped up Vice-President Hamid Ansari`s name for a second term.
Maintaining that the choice of candidates for such high posts should not be guided by regional factors, Karunanidhi said same yardstick would be applied for the Vice-President`s post also.
Ansari`s name figured high in consultations that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had in the last few days with JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda and CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat on the issue.
A section in Congress feels that Ansari`s second term will send a good signal to minorities.
DMK is one of the first UPA constituents to back the candidature of the front`s nominee Pranab Mukherjee with Karunanidhi himself proposing the former Finance Minister`s name.
He had, however, remained evasive on the issue of Vice-President`s post, saying it was not his job.
PTI
