Kalam refuses to contest presidential election

Hopes of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to make former president A P J Abdul Kalam its unanimous candidate for the presidential election was dashed as the later said he did not have any “aspiration or interest” to serve another term at the top post. Senior BJP leader LK Advani spoke to Kalam thrice and sent his trusted lieutenant Sudheendra Kulkarni to his residence twice to convince him, but the efforts were in vain. The only candidate challenging Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the presidential fray now is P A Sangma.