Kalam willing for another term, throws UPA off-guard

Third Front drums up support for Kalam, BJP says Shekhawat may withdraw.

Confusion reigned on the prospects of the candidates in the presidential race with the Rashtrapati Bhavan confirming that President APJ Abdul Kalam had reacted favourably to proposals for running for a second term, albeit only if his victory was certain.

A Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson said the President told the Third Front leaders who called on him today that he was "willing to wait for a few days for certainty" on whether he would win.

"The president indicated that he wanted to be sure of a majority, if not an overwhelming consensus on his name," said the spokesperson.

TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, leading the Third Front delegation to Kalam, said the President told them that he might not be averse to a second term. AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa, the prime mover of Kalam's name, was not part of the delegation.

Two days ago, Kalam had reacted to Pratibha Patil's nomination with one word: "Fantastic".

At the BJP briefing, Kalam's stand was interpreted as an endorsement. Party leader Sushma Swaraj said, "We have come to know that President Kalam is in favour of a second term, but only if his victory in the polls is certain. Thus we conclude that he has agreed with the Third Front and is willing."

In what is a tactic to draw the UPA and the Left into a political blind alley, she assured that Bhairon Singh Shekhawat would opt out if there was even a ghost of a chance of Kalam entering the fray.

Senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh said although the NDA was backing Shekhawat, it was open to Kalam's re-election if there was a consensus.

Soon after meeting the president, Naidu met former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and said he would call on UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Next on the Third Front agenda is a meeting with Left leaders Prakash Karat and AB Bardhan.

Swaraj said she would like other parties in the UPA, RJD, the LJP and the DMK, to consider supporting Kalam.

Several informal polls and surveys established that Kalam was much ahead of any other candidate in popularity, she said.