Kalam interested for second term

June 21: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has given hints to enter the presidential contest provided his candidature is secured for the second run as the president. He did not mind waiting for a few days in making up his mind and for ‘certainty’ to emerge. Political consensus will be the defining factor for him whether to contest for a second term as the ‘head of state' or not.

“The President observed [to the leaders] that as there is overwhelming love and affection of the people from all sections of society and from all parts of the country, I can accept a second term of Presidency provided there is certainty about this.” Mr. Kalam was also “willing to wait for a few more days for this certainty.” said Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson soon after the leaders of United National Progressive Alliance UNPA, met him on Wednesday afternoon.

Leaders of the UNPA comprising TDP's N Chandrababu Naidu, SP's Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh, INLD's Om Prakash Chautala, MDMK leader Vaiko and AIADMK leaders representing Jayalalitha pleaded with Kalam not to throw away the opportunity to keep serving country as it holds the national interests. They assured him that it was for the betterment of nation and that they were not politicizing the issue.

However on his part, Kalam is believed to have spoken about the love and affection, showered on him by the people. The political consensus is what one observed Kalam asks for the second turn. UNPA leaders — N. Chandrababu Naidu (Telugu Desam Party), Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh (Samajwadi Party), three representatives of the AIADMK, Om Prakash Chautala (Indian National Lok Dal), MDMK leader Vaiko, Brindaban Goswami (Asom Gana Parishad) all took the indication from what President told them and began working on the job at hand.

They had a meeting in their effort to build consensus for Kalam with Vajpayee, BJP president Rajnath Singh and Leaders of the Opposition L.K. Advani and Jaswant Singh who were also present. However the BJP leaders told them that they would talk to their NDA allies prior to saying anything in this regard.

Chandrababu Naidu is once again taking the lead in political gamesmanship seeking to make a last-ditch effort for evolving wider backing for Kalam in the political firmament. Naidu made a laboured and last-ditch appeal on behalf of the UNPA to the UPA, the NDA and other parties to support Kalam for a second term in office. Even the NDA is firmly behind vice-president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and observed it would support Kalam if there was a national consensus. The Shiv Sena, an ally of the NDA, is opposed to Kalam's candidature and is not averse to Maharashtrian Pratibha Devisingh Patil. However, the Shiv Sena is yet to decide whether to back Patil or Shekhawat.

The UNPA wants to speak to all leaders of the political parties and groups in Parliament and outside, including the partners of the UPA. Naidu said they even went on to spoke to UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi over the telephone and she informed them that they have already announced their candidate for the President. When asked for meeting she was categorical in saying that she has got nothing different to say even if they met in person.

The Congress-led UPA, the Left and the BSP however are speeding up the preparation of the nomination papers of their nominee and Rajasthan Governor Pratibha Devisingh Patil which is expected to be filed on Saturday.