Congress veteran Pranab Mukherjee today said he has no regrets for not becoming the Prime Minister and said Manmohan Singh is one of the "finest persons" and a worthy one to occupy that position. "I don't regret that.no regret at all," Mukherjee said. "I'm repeating that Manmohan Singh is one of the finest persons and worthy person to be the Prime Minister. After Nehruji and Indiraji,he will be the next man to complete second term. So,no regret at all," he said. He underlined that the post of the President was such that it should not be "sought" but "offered". "Personally,I do still believe that this office is to be offered and not to be sought," he said. Hailing from a village in West Bengal,the 77-year-old former Finance Minister said his nomination for the presidential poll which he appears set to win,demonstrated that "anybody" in the country can go on to occupy the highest constitutional post. He rejected opposition-backed nominee P A Sangma's call for a debate with him ahead of the July 19 poll. "The issue is not about debate. Debate on what?.President is a figure head. Debate takes place on issues determined by the political parties. They place those issues before the electorate and the leader of the political party which forms the government or Prime Minister,those issues are debated. "Indian President does not determine policy. Here,the President is not the policy-maker. In the name of the President,the cabinet takes the policy decision," he said. Terming Sangma as a "bright man",Mukherjee said "yes I love him." "The party has given me much more than what I have given to the party. The party president has trusted me and considered me capable of discharging certain responsibilities. I am MP for almost four decades. I was minister for 22 years.," Mukherjee told TV channels on Sonia Gandhi proposing his name as UPA candidate for the Presidential post. Mukherjee said the issue of blackmoney cannot be debated in the election. "How could be the issue of black money be debated. These are the issues which Parliament should debate. This is not a question of an individual. These are the decisions of the government.the election is on a different plain altogether. The electoral college consists of all the elected members. They are elected on party lines. Therefore,the political parties decide," he said. BJP MP Ram Jethmalani had recently accused Mukherjee of not doing much on bringing back Indian blackmoney stashed abroad. Asked about his indispensability in Congress,he said "I am a party man. When this issue was debated,I told the Congress President clearly that what role will be assigned to me I will discharge that faithfully. Thereafter,having discussions she decided.then the things followed." He said Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has not yet taken a call on her party's support in the Presidential election and hoped she will decide at an appropriate time. ".Mamata has explained her reasons in the statement. Because she thought Kalam will contest the election and after that when Kalam did not agree to contest she has not yet taken a decision. I hope she will take that decision at the appropriate time. I appeal to her to extend support to me," he said. He said he writes a page a day in his diary but added it would come for print only after "my going from the world."
