Date:21/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/21/stories/2007062151550100.htm

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UNPA move unfortunate: Congress

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Even as the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) sought the support of the ruling alliance for a second term for President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the Congress asserted on Wednesday that Rajasthan Governor Pratibha Patil was the candida te of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the Left parties.

As for the Left parties, Communist Party of India national secretary D. Raja pointed out that they did not support Mr. Kalam in 2002 itself.

The Congress described as “unfortunate” the manner in which the Third Front — “which gives the impression of being the second front of the National Democratic Alliance” — brought the name and high office of “ ;our President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam” into an unnecessary controversy by making him an object of speculation.

“Muddying the waters”

Making a suo motu statement on the UNPA’s decision, Congress spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan said that in the present context — especially in view of the clear majority enjoyed by Ms. Patil — the Third Front̵ 7;s move was aimed at muddying the waters.

Besides charging the UNPA with creating confusion, she pointed to the possibility of certain constituents of the Third Front wishing to indirectly support the NDA candidate.

Ms. Natarajan said that “as always” the NDA was a picture of confusion and disunity. “Even the members of the NDA are unclear who their candidate is. Hours after declaring their support for the independent candidate [Vice-President] Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, we witnessed the bizarre spectacle of the Bharatiya Janata Party president and other leaders declaring the NDA’s support for Mr. Kalam instead.”

Underlining the contradictions in the NDA stance, she said more than a month ago, the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, informed Mr. Kalam of the inability of the alliance to support him for a second time for lack of consensus.

“Matter of convention”

To repeated questions why the Congress was not prepared to support Mr. Kalam, she said: “When the Congress asked for a second term for the former President, K.R. Narayanan, the then NDA Government said it was a matter of convention that a sec ond term cannot be given to an incumbent.”

Mr. Raja emphasised that Mr. Narayanan lost no time in clearing the air and declaring himself out of the race as soon as Mr. Kalam’s candidature was announced.

According to him, since it was the BJP which cited precedence to deny an incumbent a second term in 2002, it should answer why it was pushing for consensus on Mr. Kalam’s candidature now.