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Narayanan has an 'open mind'

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI MAY 28. The presidential race hotted up today with the Congress committing itself to a second term for the President, K.R. Narayanan, after getting an indication from him that he has an "open mind'' on the issue.

Significantly, the indication came at a 20-minute meeting this evening between the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, and Mr. Narayanan at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan this evening. Ms. Gandhi is reported to have requested the President to make himself available for a second term. The President is said to have indicated that he had an "open mind on the issue''. Prior to this meeting, there was considerable speculation that Mr. Narayanan might not be interested in a second term because of ill-health or because of the fact that he might have to face a contest.

The Congress leadership believes that Mr. Narayanan has been "very correct president during his term in office'' and is eminently suited for a second term. Ms. Gandhi had, in fact, also suggested to the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, that Mr. Narayanan be adopted as the consensus candidate. The issue was broached by Mr. Vajpayee during his meeting with Ms. Gandhi and Manmohan Singh when he had called them for consultations on the border crisis last week. Ms. Gandhi's meeting with the President comes after the Congress Working Committee had on May 22 authorised to decide the party line on the issue. The view in the party is that at this crucial juncture when there is a crisis on the border, it would not be in the interests of the country to go through factious election. "Why dump a sitting President, that too a Dalit, in the middle of a crisis, the best thing would be to allow the present status quo to continue,'' says a CWC member.

Though the NDA has indicated its disinclination to support Mr. Narayanan, the Left parties, Mr. Paswan's Lok Janashakti, in addition to the main Opposition party, Congress, have made known their preference for Mr. Narayanan. Though the electoral college at the moment appears tilted in favour of the NDA, the Opposition parties are of the view that if the President indicates his willingness to seek a second term, it will be very difficult for some of the NDA partners to oppose him, given his track record in office, coupled with the fact that he is a Dalit.

The BSP, having promised to support the NDA candidate, is already under fire from Dalit groups for "betraying the interests of the community".

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