New Delhi: Congress on July 3 warned that it would have no option but to force a contest for the post of Vice-President if the Prime Minister failed to take constructive initiative to evolve a consensus on the issue.

"We expect the Prime Minister to take constructive initiative to evolve a consensus. Congress has an open mind and is keen to get consensus evolved. But if this is not done, we will have no option but to force a contest," party spokesman S Jaipal Reddy told reporters.

Asked whether the party favoured a second term for incumbent Krishan Kant, he said, "We have an open mind," and it would not like to preclude anyone and hamper possibility of a consensus.

To a query whether the Congress will have an "open mind" about the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate, Reddy said the party was not ruling out anything "provided we are convinced".

On reports that BJP planned to put up former Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for the high Constitutional post, he merely said, "We cannot comment on merits of candidates."

Stating that the party has no candidate in mind, he said the candidate should be such who has an appeal to wider political spectrum.

PTI