Prez Poll: Cong forms Coordination Committee

New Delhi, June 16 (UNI) The Congress has formed a Coordination Committee to coordinate with the UPA allies and partners in seeking support of the parties outside the ruling alliance for UPA's Presidential nominee Mrs Pratibha Patil, party sources said.

The Committee headed by senior Congress leader and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee,includes Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunsi, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachouri, Political Secretary to Congress President Ahmad Patel and senior Congress leader R K Bhawan.

The Committee will seek the support of the office-bearers of the Congress Parliamentary Party(CPP) and interact with the Pradesh Congress Commitee Presidents and CLP leaders in the states, the sources said.

It will also work to rule out the possibility of cross voting in the Presidential election to be held on July 19, the sources said.

The Congress is banking on the support of the Shiv Sena and the JD(U) to UPA's Presidential candidate and some smaller parties. The Shiv Sena has hailed the selection of Mrs Pratibha Patil as the UPA's Presidential candidate and indicated the possibility of its support to her,though the party has yet to take a formal decision in this regard.

The Congress is also likely to explore the possibility of support to Mrs Patil from parties in the Third Front.

UNI