Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushma Swaraj, who is election manager of NDA-backed presidential candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, has questioned the Congress party's claim that talking of vote of conscience amounts to influencing the voters in the presidential election.

Addressing a press conference at NDA Convenor George Fernandes' [Images] residence, Sushma recalled the appeal by former prime minister Indira Gandhi [Images] to get Dr Zakir Hussain elected at the President of India.

In her appeal, Indira had said that Hussain's candidature for the office of President richly deserved 'universal support.'

"I appeal to you all not to look at the election of the President as a narrow party or sectarian issue. It is a national issue of high importance and involves a high principle. Zakir Sahib, at present the Vice President, is widely acknowledged as eminently suited for the office of Rashtrapati. This office of President is not a party office. The Rashtrapati is the symbol of right and dignity of every citizen in the country," Sushma quoted Indira as saying in her appeal.

Sushma said that since the appeal was issued 40 years ago, the Congress may not remember it. Hence she pointed out an incident five years ago when former West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu had talked about her as people's candidate and asked the representatives in Parliament, and the legislative assemblies to case their vote accosrding to their conscience.

The BJP leader, however, refused to go into the details of the bank run by UPA nominee Pratibha Patil that was shut down by the Reserve Bank of India [Get Quote] for failing to recover the loans it had disbursed to the people.