Left to decide stand after UPA announces prez candidate

Kolkata, Jun 14 (PTI) The Left parties will decide their stand on the presidential poll issue only after the UPA formally announced its candidate. "Left parties are ready. As soon as they will declare the name of the candidate (for the presidential poll), the four parties (CPI(M), CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc) will hold a meeting and decide their stand," CPI(M) Politburo member and the Left Front chairman Biman Bose told reporters here. Meanwhile, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee whose name has been reported to be Congress' first choice as candidate, today telephoned former West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. "Pranab Mukherjee telephoned Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee this morning from Delhi," CPI(M) sources told PTI. It was, however, not known what transpired between Mukherjee and Bhattacharjee, a senior member of CPI(M) politburo said.