June 18, 2012
Although Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is widely expected to make it to Rashtrapati Bhavan, former president APJ Abdul Kalam is said to be under pressure to contest against him. As per reports, Monday, the Trinamool Congress, BJP and Shiv Sena are keen that he jump into the fray and take on dada.
June 18, 2012
Although Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is widely expected to make it to Rashtrapati Bhavan, former president APJ Abdul Kalam is said to be under pressure to contest against him. As per reports, Monday, the Trinamool Congress, BJP and Shiv Sena are keen that he jump into the fray and take on dada.
Dr Kalam had earlier – before UPA managed to build consensus on Pranab – indicated that he would like to contest if there was sizeable support for his candidature. The former president is likely to take a call today on whether or not to contest the Presidential poll.
Key NDA constituent BJP, which is not in favour of allowing Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee a walkover in the Presidential race, is keen on Kalam, as the party feels that owing to his wide popularity he will give a tough fight to Pranab. Meanwhile, BJP veteran LK Advani called up Kalam asking him to join the Presidential race.
Key BJP man Sudeendra Kulkari has reportedly met Kalam even as the RSS has come out in support of the candidature of APJ Abdul Kalam. "It will be good if he (Kalam) is elected as President. The common man thinks that he is a nice man. While rest of the people have a political background, he does not. We can only give our opinion. But only lawmakers can elect the president,” RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat told reporters in Haridwar.
Shiv Sena, which kept away from a NDA meeting on the issue is strongly batting for the former president. Mukherjee, however, called up Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray asking him to support his candidature. Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee, who first floated Kalam’s name for Presidency, has maintained that her party remains firm on backing Kalam. Banerjee will issue whip asking her party MPs to vote for Kalam, reports say. Meanwhile, reports suggest that PA Sangma, who also projects himself as a presidential candidate, is likely to meet Kalam later in the day.
