New Delhi: Snubbing Trinamool Congress and BJP, APJ Abdul Kalam on Monday declared that he would not contest the Presidential poll even as there were indications that Opposition NDA might support Purno A Sangma for the top post.
Kalam, the former President whose name was propped up by Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee, made known that his ‘conscience’ was not permitting him to enter the fray and he had taken the decision after considering ‘the totality of this matter and the present political situation’.
BJP leader LK Advani personally spoke to Kalam to persuade him to be the common candidate of the Opposition against UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee but he declined. Advani’s close aide Sudheendra Kulkarni also met him twice in the day.
80-year-old Kalam announced later that he had ‘never aspired to serve another term or shown interest in contesting the elections’ but Mamata and ‘other political parties’ wanted him to be the candidate for the Presidential poll to be held on July 19.
“I have considered the totality of this matter and the present political situation, and decided not to contest the Presidential election 2012,” Kalam said.
Hours after his announcement, Mamata held a meeting with party leaders in Kolkata to discuss the issue. Party leader Sudip Bandhyopadhyay later said the party will take an appropriate decision at an appropriate time in the wake of Kalam deciding not to contest.
With Kalam out of the race, BJP-led NDA is likely to meet here on Tuesday to consider whether to support PA Sangma whose candidature is being pushed by AIADMK and BJD.
There were indications that BJP was pushing its allies JD-U and Shiv Sena to agree on supporting Sangma and give up plans for a consensus on Mukherjee.
A snubbed Trinamool Congress, which broke the ranks with UPA to pit Kalam in the fray, said it will still make efforts to persuade him to contest but if he sticks to his decision, the party will take an appropriate decision.
Commenting on the development, BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said any decision on whether or not to have a candidate against Mukherjee would be taken by the NDA.
Congress welcomed Kalam’s decision and asked Mamata to again consider supporting Mukherjee. (PTI)