Kalam rejects proposal to run for second term

Boost to Patil's chances as Third Front rules out support to NDA.

Managers of the United Progressive Alliance's (UPA's) presidential campaign could barely hide triumphant smiles as President APJ Abdul Kalam said no to the Third Front leaders' request to run for a second term, nixing the opposition campaign even before it started.

Leaders of the front told a press conference that as they were committed to supporting neither the NDA nor the UPA, they would meet to decide the course of action"�whether to abstain or let their members vote according to conscience.

The front leaders drove straight from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the residence of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and conveyed the president's refusal. If the front was rattled over Kalam's refusal, it didn't show it.

"Since Kalam has conveyed his inability, we now have to take some time to deliberate and discuss what is going to be our next step," said AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa.

She said the president was "deeply wounded" by the statements by some Union ministers, who used "rude, unbecoming and uncivilised" language against him. Asked whether the Third Front would abstain, she shot back, "You cannot expect me to answer within a few minutes of our discussions with the NDA leaders."

TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu said all options would be explored.

Outwardly, the NDA reacted to the announcement with equanimity, but behind closed doors, they declared that the Third Front was acting as an agent of the UPA under the persuasion of some industrialists who wanted to have a "pliable" president in 2009 when a new government would have to be sworn in.

The argument was that abstention would mean a lower voting threshold for the ruling alliance and ensure easier victory for UPA nominee Pratibha Patil. But the UPA refused to react and sat back and enjoyed the predicament of a fractured opposition. It was game set and match to them.

The campaign touched new lows as three persons associated with the NDA-BJP, including one member of the BJP National Executive, circulated a CD about charges that Patil's family owed a bank Rs 17 crore, which was written off as an NPA. An allegation was also made that Patil's family had been involved in the murder of a fellow congressman.

However, the NDA quickly washed its hands of the affair after reporters contacted Akali Dal leader SS Dhindsa, at whose residence the CD was released.

Dhindsa said journalist Chandan Mitra had sought his permission to use his premises. NDA spokesperson Sushma Swaraj explained unconvincingly that Mitra was a nominated MP of the Rajya Sabha, Sudheendra Kulkarni had nothing to do with the BJP and Tarlochan Singh kept his own counsel.

"So long as I am the spokesperson of the NDA, not a word will pass my lips that in any way personally maligns Pratibha Patil. This is fight of ideology and politics. It is not against individuals" Swaraj said, realising the damage that allegations like this could do to NDA candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat's campaign.

Asked if the NDA thought they had been used by the Third Front to secure their support for its candidate, Swaraj said it was the NDA which moved the proposal that Kalam be renominated.