New Delhi: Congress today (Mar 27, 2004) announced that it would like to support former Union Minister Ram Jethmalani as a common candidate of Opposition parties against Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Lucknow in the Lok Sabha polls.

"However, it is for Jethmalani to ensure the support of other non-NDA (National Democratic Alliance) political parties," senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee told reporters.

To a question whether the Congress party would talk to other parties to ensure his victory, Mukherjee said that Jethmalani would be an independent candidate and asked how could Congress ensure the support of other political parties.

"He is an independent candidate. We cannot ensure support of other political parties," Mukherjee said.

Asked whether the Congress would make an appeal to other political parties to support his candidature, Mukherjee said, "We have already supported his candidature."