Odishatv Bureau
Mumbai: Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today said a "non-political" person could be an "ideal" choice as the country`s next President, while denying that his party had endorsed P A Sangma as a possible candidate for the same.

"Both UPA and NDA don`t have the required numbers to ensure that candidate of their choice gets elected as the next President. Hence, I feel that a non-political person can be an ideal choice," Pawar told reporters after inaugurating a girls` hostel in Navi Mumbai near here.

He was responding to a question whether NCP had suggested the name of party leader and former Lok Sabha speaker P A Sangma as a possible candidate. "We have a total of 16 MPs and know our limitations. All political parties should initiate a dialogue to find out a consensus candidate on merit, who does not have political background," Pawar said, denying that the party had put forward Sagma`s name. Pratibha Patil`s term as President of India ends in July.

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