The Hindu : Cong. firm on backing Narayanan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 20, 2002

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National

Cong. firm on backing Narayanan

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI MAY 19. Even as the National Democratic Alliance continued to remain silent on its candidate, the Opposition appears to have made up its mind on backing the President, K.R. Narayanan, for a second term in the elections due in July.

Significantly, the Congress today made its preference for Mr. Narayanan amply clear at the meeting between the party president, Sonia Gandhi, and the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, even as the Lok Janshakti president, Ram Vilas Paswan, and the former Prime Minister, Chandra Shekhar, declared that Mr. Narayanan would be the best man for the job. The Left parties have already stated they would like to see a second term for Mr. Narayanan.

Though the meeting between Mr. Vajpayee and Ms. Gandhi was part of the Government's exercise to consult and brief the Opposition on the terrorist strikes in Jammu, the presidential election issue also figured.

The Prime Minister has called the NCP and Left parties for a meeting tomorrow.

According to sources, the Prime Minister brought up the issue seeking consensus, but significantly, he did not mention who his party and the NDA favoured for the top job. Ms. Gandhi is reported to have mentioned Mr. Narayanan's name, saying a second term would be appropriate as he has been a "very correct President''. The Government, however, said that "there was no consensus in the NDA on Mr. Narayanan''.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has been informally talking about the Maharashtra Governor, P.C. Alexander, as its choice, but some political parties believe that the NDA may come up with another name at the last minute. In some circles the Vice-President, Krishan Kant, is being mentioned as the NDA's choice, but much would depend on the support of the Telugu Desam Party and the AIADMK in the event of a contest. Recently, Mr. Kant met the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief, Chandrababu Naidu, during his visit to Hyderabad.Mr. Chandra Shekhar was quoted in reports from Kolkatta as having said he was not in the race for Rashtrapati Bhavan and would prefer another term for Mr. Narayanan.

At a press conference here, the Lok Janshakti leader and former Union Minister, Ram Vilas Paswan, said his party favoured a second term for Mr. Narayanan.

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