Why no effort was made to choose a consensus candidate?: Vajpayee

New Delhi, June 26 (UNI) Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today attacked the ruling UPA for making no effort to choose the next President through consensus and sought an explanation from it why no effort was made to elect a consensus candidate for the country's top post.

Reiterating that the BJP was of the considered view that the election to this high Constitutional position of the country should be through a broad political consensus and there should be 'mutual checks and balance' between the Government and the constitutional office so that none could become a ''dictator,'' the octogenarian spokesman told the concluding session of the two-day National Executive of the BJP.

Condeming the 'unbecoming conduct' of three UPA ministers for issuing statements against President A P J Abdul Kalam when he expressed his desire to wait for consensus, Mr Vajpayee said the UPA government should personally tender an apology to Dr Kalam. He regretted the circumstances under which the the ruling alliance had sought the Opposition's cooperation only after announcing its condidate when it was too late for a political party to concur (sahmati) with the decision. This was the reason the Opposition Alliance was backing the candidature of Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, a mature leader with 55 years of political experience.

Tracing the roots of 'fear and insecurity' of the UPA leadership to the political situation prevailing between 1967 and 1969, Mr Vajpayee said then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi got her own party's official candidate Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy defeated in the Presidential elections.

''I can understand the action of a fear stricken and insecure PM but not the present leadership which too was displaying the same tendency. The actions of Indira Gandhi had resulted in vertical division of the Congress party which also saw the imposition of Emergency imposed 32 years ago,'' he said.

Mr Vajpayee also said if only former President Fakruddin Ali Ahmed instead of blindly signing the proclamation, could talk and convince the then Prime Minister that such drastic step was not necessary, the country could have been spared of a ''dark chapter'' in its democratic history.

He also expressed his surprise over the statement of CPI General Secretary A B Bardan stating that his party had opposed Home Minister Shivraj Patil's candidature because of his 'soft attitude' towards the BJP when he held the office of the Speaker of Lok Sabha.

''I don't think a Speaker can transact the Houses business without the cooperation of the Opposition. If the UPA is expecting a candidate who will listen to the dictates of the ruling alliance, than this is dangerous trend for democracy,'' he said. This was also the reationale behind supporting Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as an independent candidate, he added.

UNI