BJP keeps its options open on second term for Kalam

New Delhi, May 2 (UNI) The BJP has kept its options open on the issue of a second term for President A P J Abdul Kalam.

The party, however, reaffirmed that senior party leader L K Advani would be its Prime Ministerial candidate in the next general elections.

Asked if the party would support a second term for Dr Kalam, former BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu said the party was at present concentrating only on UP assembly election and would apply its mind over the issue only after the polls were over.

Mr Naidu skipped reply to a a pertinent question that whether the party would support its own member, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat instead of Dr Kalam.

The Parliamentary Board, the apex decision making body of the party, is scheduled to meet on May 11 and might consider the issue, he added.

Mr Naidu, however, confirmed party President Rajnath Singh's revelation in an interview to a news channel that Mr Advani would be the party's prime ministerial candidate for the 2009 general elections. ''After Atalji, who could be prime ministerial candidate except Advaniji,'' Mr Singh had said.

The announcement about Mr Advani, two years ahead of the parliamentary polls by the party President, is intriguing as such decisions are always taken by the party parliamentary board which is scheduled to meet May 11.

UNI