SP wants a politician as the president, says Mulayam Singh

Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party on Monday said that the party was against a bureaucrat becoming the next President of India. Addressing a press conference, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said that the Presidential candidate must have a political background.

"The candidate should have a political background, we are not in favor of a bureaucrat. I do not know if the Congress has named Pranab Mukherjee as the party's candidate," Mulayam Singh said.

He also said that the party would decide who to support only after the candidates were announced, adding that the Samajwadi Party hasn't been contacted over the Presidential polls.

The Samajwadi Party chief said he was not aware if the Congress had named Pranab Mukherjee as the party\'s candidate.

Mulayam further said, "Our support to the UPA is only to keep the communal forces out of power."

Speaking on the sub-quota issue, Mulayam Singh said that the Muslims must get reservation. He, however, refused to comment on the Supreme Court's refusal to admit the government's plea on sub-quota.

Later, responding to a question on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's criticism of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh over caste politics, Mulayam said, "At least in UP we do not indulge in communal politics. We have only worked for empowerment of backwards. In Gujarat people are being divided on communal lines."

The SP supremo also made an appeal for a better financial aid for Uttar Pradesh.

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