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| Kalam begins to pack up his personal belongings | | Vajpayee wants next President by consensus | | BL KAK
NEW DELHI, May 23
APJ Abdul Kalam has initiated a meaningful exercise in the Rashtrapati Bhavan, sending out a clear signal of his plan not to stay put even if some political leaders try for his second term. A close confidant of Kalam said on Wednesday that the outgoing President had begun to pack up his personal belongings.
Kalam's confidant, who pleaded anonymity, told EARLY TIMES in the course of an informal chat that since he (Kalam) had found, in recent days, certain political elements engaged in the task of politicising the high office of President, he would not like to get himself involved in any controversy before his departure from the Rashtrapati Bhavan in July next.
Why should APJ Abdul Kalam even remotely think of his second term when the ruling UPA (United Progresive Alliance) and Opposition NDA (National Democratic Alliance) are not for his continuance in Rashtrapati Bhavan after July, asked the confidant. Taking the situation as it is, President Kalam is well out of the race for Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Now it is clear that the NDA is not pitching for him to have a second term in office. If there was any doubt about it, it was set at rest by Atal Behari Vajpayee, BJP stalwart and former Prime Minister. He says that the next President should be chosen by consensus. He explained: “Last time we all had decided on Kalam as the President. We don't know who will be fielded for the post now. But we will try to have a consensus on it".
Left parties have already made it clear that they are not in favour of re-nominating Kalam for the second term. On the candidature of Kalam, CPI leader A B Bardhan said: “Well, he is a good man, he has been a good President but I don’t think a second term for him is essential. This country doesn’t lack persons who have all the qualities of being a President – there are so many to choose from”.
Even the Congress party's proposed list of candidates does not feature Kalam’s name. The names discussed by the party include Pranab Mukherjee, Karan Singh and Sushil Kumar Shinde. So, with the Left and the Congress having already declined to consider his name for the second time, it is almost certain that the consensus candidate will not be Kalam.
Though there is a huge public interest to see Kalam as the President for the second time, political parties, particularly the Left, want only a politician at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
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