As the race for Rashtrapati Bhawan gaining momentum, Congress today ruled out Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's name as a Presidential Candidate. Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Party General Secretary and Chief Media spokesperson Janardan Dwivedi said that at the beginning of UPA – 2 , party had announced that Dr. Singh will be the Prime Minister till 2014.

Dwivedi rejected the other two names suggested by Trinamool Congress Chief Mamta Benerjee and Samajwadi Party Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav. He said as a UPA Chairperson it is the duty of Sonia Gandhi to consult its allies whether they are small or big political parties. He said after first round of talks with allies the names of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Hamid Ansari emerged. He catagorically said that no name is finalized so far.

Earlier, Congress President Sonia Gandhi continued consultation with leaders of her party and UPA allies on the Presidential candidate. Senior party leaders who met Sonia Gandhi include Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A K Antony and Home Minister P Chidambaram. NCP leader Sharad pawar also met her. Congress core committee also met to discuss the issue.

Congress leader and Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said party chief Sonia Gandhi is still working towards evolving a consensus over the name of UPA's Presidential candidate. She said disclosing three names including that of the Prime Minister of India is something which does not make any political or ethical sense.

Talking to reporters after meeting with Sonia Gandhi DMK leader T R Balu said that his party leader Karunanidhi has already conveyed DMK's choice for the next presidential candidate. He said Gandhi may announce the name soon.

Making BJP's first move to reach out to non-NDA parties on the Presidential poll, party leader L K Advani today discussed the issue with AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa in Chennai. BJP spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain said NDA will meet tomorrow to discuss Presidential poll issue.