NDA rejects UNPA's appeal for second term for Kalam

New Delhi, June 18 (UNI) The Opposition NDA today rejected the appeal of the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA), comprising eight regional parties, to support President A P J Abdul Kalam for a second term and said it would continue to back the candidature of Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for Presidentship.

Asked for NDA's response to AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa's appeal for supporting the second term of Dr Kalam, NDA spokesperson for the Presidential poll Sushma Swaraj said an NDA delegation, led by Chairman Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had approached the President offering to support him for a second term two months ago.

''We were told that he could be a candidate only if he was a unanimous choice. Since the UPA and the Left parties announced the name of Pratibha Patil as its candidate, such a possibility did not exist.'' Ms Swaraj said Dr Kalam was NDA's first choice and when any concensus on his name was not reached, the focus shifted to Vice-President.

''Our choice was not rooted in loyalty to a family but loyalty to the country, the Constitution and the office,'' she said.

The spokesperson said UPA-Left nominee Pratibha Patil did not have the stature or calibre to occupy the Presidential office. The NDA's thinking on the stature of UPA's nominee was very 'similar and matching' with the thinking of the UNPA.

Ms Swaraj did not agree with the notion that the ruling alliance enjoyed majority and said all the 11 lakh odd voters of the Presidential poll were open for all contenders.

''There can be no cross voting or horse trading in this election simply because no political party can issue any whip on its members.

The voters are free to exercise their franchise in any manner they wished and the party cannot bind them even morally,'' she added.

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