Kalam practically out of Prez race

RULED OUT: Since there is no consensus on Kalam, he should not be re-nominated, said Vajpayee.

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New Delhi: President A P J Abdul Kalam could well be out of the race for Rashtrapati Bhavan. Now it's clear that the NDA is not pitching for him to have a second term in office.

This after Former prime minister and senior BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee said that the next President should be chosen by consensus.

“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,” said Vajpayee.

Left parties have already made it clear that they are not in favour 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’s proposed list of candidates doesn’t 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 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 want only a politician at Rashtrapati Bhavan.