Pranab most suitable for president's post: Trinamool MP

Kolkata -  Calling union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee the most suitable person for the president's post, Trinamool Congress MP Kabir Suman Wednesday urged West Bengal Chief  Minister Mamata Banerjee to shed her image of "an opposition leader".

"I personally feel Pranab Mukherjee (the ruling United Progressive Alliance's candidate) is the most suitable person for the post of president. The president needs to be an experienced and  very efficient personality and Pranab 'babu' fulfils both the criteria. He has been an extraordinary and outstanding parliamentarian," said Suman, a Lok Sabha member and a popular singer.

Suman, who currently has a strained relationship with Trinamool Congress chief Banerjee, said that as a Bengali, he would love to see Mukherjee as the next president.

The member of parliament also urged Banerjee to shed her image as an opposition leader and act as the chief minister of her state.

"She is a great fighter. She has single-handedly decimated the Left. She should shed her image of an opposition leader and political activist. She should behave as the chief minister and  should be more calm," he said.

Last week, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh and Banerjee had virtually rejected Mukherjee, whose name Congress president Sonia Gandhi had suggested for presidency during her

talks with Banerjee.

The two parties named former president A.P.J. Kalam, former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as their three preferred candidates for president.

However, Banerjee was left red-faced after Yadav said his party would support Mukherjee. She, however, remained firm on her stand to support Kalam.