New Delhi : The BJP-led NDA will meet on Sunday to decide on its presidential nominee. Senior BJP leader LK Advani is reportedly in favour of a contest and has been told by AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa to support NCP leader P.A. Sangma.

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s core committee met on Saturday and weighed the options of backing Sangma for the post of President.

After a meeting of the party’s core group, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj is understood to have talked to Shiv Sena leadership on a need for a fight and to back the candidature of Sangma, who has been propped up by BJD and AIADMK, against UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee.

Similarly, the other allies are also being talked to, sources said.

However, there is a section within NDA, particularly JD(U), which is of the view that a contest against Mukherjee should be avoided as there could be embarrassment for the opposition coalition.

Though there was no official word, all indications were that former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, propped up by Trinamool Congress, may not after all enter the fray in view of the fact that there is no guarantee of his victory.

Sensing the ground situation, Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee on Saturday launched a campaign in the social media, seeking support for Kalam.

Ahead of the NDA meeting, top leaders of BJP — L K Advani, Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj and Ananth Kumar — met here to firm up the party’s stand on the issue with indications that they are not too enthusiastic about Mukherjee.

Sources in BJP said there was a view in the party that there should be a contest, whether it is by backing P A Sangma, the nominee of AIADMK and BJD, or by supporting Kalam, whose candidature is being pushed by Trinamool Congress.

With the possibility of Kalam contesting virtually ruled out, NDA may plump for Sangma as it may help it win back allies like AIADMK and BJD which were earlier part of the coalition.

Another view was that there could be a bonus if Mamata also backs Sangma, given the current bitterness she harbours against Congress.

BJP sources said the party was in touch with Sangma as also Kalam besides AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa and BJD leader Naveen Patnaik.

Interestingly, BJP member Ram Jethmalani tried to inject fresh element, saying he would contest against Mukherjee if the NDA chooses to support the UPA nominee because he failed to act against black money.

NDA fielding its own candidate was also not ruled out.

After the BJP core group meeting, Ananth Kumar told reporters that party leaders are in touch with their counterparts in the allied parties and “others”.

He said Advani, Gadkari and Swaraj have held telephonic talk with leaders of NDA allies to evolve a common position.

“We discussed the emerging situation in the context of Presidential poll… NDA leaders will meet tomorrow and take a final decision,” Kumar said but did not reply to questions whether any names were deliberated upon.

Sources in JD(U) said the party would favour a consensus around Mukherjee and feels a contest should be avoided as it could be embarrassing because neither has Kalam so far agreed to contest nor the NDA has the numbers.