NDA starts collecting MP's signatures for Shekhawat's papers

New Delhi, Jun 21 (UNI) While the NDA is open to the idea of fielding Dr Kalam as the candidate of anti-Congress front, it is also quietly preparing the nomination papers of Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, its official nominee for the coming Presidential polls.

While the finality over the status of Mr Shekhawat as the candidate is pending final clearance by the NDA leadership but getting signatures of 100 MPs to sign the nomination papers for the official nominee is a 'time consuming' process. ''We have started our task'', BJP Parliamentary Party Secretary O P Kohli told UNI today.

Informed sources said that the the BJP Chief Ministers and state unit leaders in the state have been asked to begin the process of getting signatures of MLAs and MPs from their respective units and those belonging to the NDA parties. It is not certain how many sets of papers will be submitted but a valid paper should have the backing of atleast 100 MPs or MLAs who form the electoral college for presidential polls, sources said.

Those who have signed on the papers include former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Leaders of Opposition in Parliament L K Advani and Jaswant Singh and senior leaders Murli Manohar Joshi and BJP office bearers Rajnath Singh and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. The signatures of NDA allies would also be obtained, sources said.

Things have become uncertain after President A P J Abdul Kalam agreed to be in the fray in the event of a chances of victory is certain after the United National Progressive Alliance or the Third Front of eight political parties propped up his name. The NDA has asked the UNPA leaders that it would officially communicate them its final choice by this evening thereby hinting at the possibility of supporting Dr Kalam as its official nominee.

As far as the status of Janata Dal (Secular) is concerned, there has been no confirmation (of its support) to the NDA yet although the Kamal Sandesh, the official organ of the BJP, lists it as one of the NDA allies. Although the party is running an alliance in Karnataka, the national party is yet to discord its ties with the UPA at the national level.

UNI