Race to Raisina Hill: A.K Antony to meet Karunanidhi

New Delhi, Apr 29 (ANI): In a bid to build a consensus for the Congress-led UPA Government's candidate for the presidential election, Defence Minister AK Antony will meet Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M Karunanidhi here today.

The Congress had earlier held talks with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar.

The DMK vote from Tamil Nadu is considered particularly important, as Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has been pushing against the Congress since coming to power last year.

The Congress is reportedly backing the candidature of Vice President Hamid Ansari.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to put up its own candidate for the election, and may reportedly supporting nuclear scientist APJ Abdul Kalam, who had earlier served as the 11th President of India from July 25, 2002 to July 24, 2007.

Recently, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Shahid Siddiqui Samajwadi Party (SP) said his party would definitely back Dr. Kalam if there is a consensus on his name.

Siddiqui said Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had proposed the name of Kalam to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2002, and added that his party would like to see the renowned nuclear scientist return to Rashtrapati Bhavan.

"The name of Dr. Abdul Kalam is also being suggested by many groups and parties. Mulayam Singhji had proposed his name in 2002 to Atalji (former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee), and Atalji accepted that and Kalam Sahab proved to be one of the most popular and most respected president India ever had. And today if there is a consensus on his name, then definitely Samajwadi Party will not be averse to it," he added. (ANI)