The Hindu : Vajpayee, Sonia among Kalam's proposers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 19, 2002

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Vajpayee, Sonia among Kalam's proposers

By Our New Delhi Bureau

NDA's Presidential candidate, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, filing his nomination papers in the presence of the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, the Leader of the Opposition, Sonia Gandhi, and other political leaders in New Delhi on Tuesday. — PTI

NEW DELHI JUNE 18. In a display of the much-needed convergence of political forces, the entire political leadership, save that of the Left parties, filed the nomination papers of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam for the post of President. His opponent, the Left parties-supported Lakshmi Sahgal, is slated to file her papers on June 21.

Two sets of nomination papers were filed on Dr. Kalam's behalf, each set signed by 60 proposers and seconders. The first set was signed by the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu, Naveen Patnaik and Mayawati, along with Mr. Vajpayee's senior ministerial colleagues and other NDA leaders. Significantly, the Congress filed a separate set of nomination papers, signed by the party president, Sonia Gandhi, Shivraj Patil, Manmohan Singh, Najma Heptuallh, Arjun Singh, Ahmad Patel and Ambica Soni.

The nomination papers were filed at the office of R.C. Tripathi, Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha and the returning officer of the election. Dr. Kalam was brought in procession from the Prime Minister's Office in the Parliament House to the returning officer's room. He was escorted by Mr. Vajpayee, Mr. Advani, the three Chief Ministers and significantly, Mulayam Singh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party.

The occasion also witnessed perhaps for the first time since their bitter parting of ways, archrivals Mulayam Singh Yadav and Ms. Mayawati on the same side of the divide. But the two avoided each other.

Congress leaders sought to maintain their distance from the NDA by not only filing a separate set of nomination papers but also arriving separately. Ms. Gandhi, along with her party colleagues, was the first to arrive. Incidentally, the Congress also deposited the Rs. 15,000 security deposit for Dr. Kalam from its own account.

Explaining the decision to file a separate set of papers, the Congress spokesperson, Jaipal Reddy, said his party had taken a positive decision in favour Dr. Kalam. "We decided it independently as a party and also decided to file his papers separately.''

The NDA was buoyant at the turnout with the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Pramod Mahajan, emphasising the point that almost the entire political spectrum barring the Left had rallied to Dr. Kalam's support. A detailed campaign programme for Dr. Kalam would be drawn up in a day or two.

Talking to newspersons separately, the Union Rural Development Minister, Venkaiah Naidu, said the Left parties were an exception to the nation's mood when they said that supporting Dr. Kalam, a missile man, as the Presidential candidate would send a "wrong signal".Expressing "surprise'' at a similar reaction from the Left candidate, Capt. Sahgal, Mr. Naidu said, "This shows that they are apologetic about the country's nuclear programme when the entire country is proud of it''.

Mr. Naidu said the Left parties were an exemption to the nation's mood in 1942 during the Quit India Movement; in 1962 during the Chinese aggression; in 1975 when emergency was imposed; and now they had become an exemption in the Presidential election.

There had been umpteen number of times when the Left had joined the BJP and the Jana Sangh over certain issues. "And now they say they cannot support a BJP candidate.''

He denied that Dr. Kalam's candidature was announced unilaterally by the BJP and said that the Prime Minister held two rounds of consultations with political parties. "In the process of consultations, several names crop up. But the first name and the final name that was announced was that of Dr. Kalam.''

Mr. Naidu said Dr. Kalam had many things to his credit. "He is a great patriot, a great scientist and a great human being, and the nation is rejoicing at his candidature.''

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