Shekhawat to resign as Vice-President

New Delhi, July 21: Following his crushing defeat in the Presidential polls, Mr. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat today decided to resign as Vice-President. Talking to reporters at the Parliament House soon after the result of the 13th Presidential polls was announced, he said he was going to call on President A P J Abdul Kalam soon to submit his resignation.

In a written statement released to the media, Mr Shekhawat said ''I congratulate Mrs Pratibha Devisingh Patil on her election as the President and accept the result in the election with humility.'' He thanked the MPs and MLAs who cast their 'valuable' vote in his favour. Mr Shekhawat also thanked the people of the country for giving him 'boundless' love and affection.

He assured the people that even after relinquishing the office of the Vice-President, he would continue to work for strengthening the unity of the country and ensuring social harmony and for the poor and deprived sections so that they could enjoy the fundamental right of living with dignity.

Denying that he was resigning in view of the Congress demand for his resignation following the defeat in his Presidential Polls, Mr Shekhawat said he had decided yesterday itself that ''if the poll result was of the type that has come he would resign.'' Asked whether he felt that the parties and people he had depended on had abandoned him in this election, Mr Shekhawat said he could not say anything at this juncture. ''Many people supported me and I want to thank them all.'' Regarding the reasons for his defeat by over three lakh votes, the NDA supported Independent candidate said he would not analyse it now. ''It is you people (media) who know the reasons more than me. You will analyse and I will read it.'' Asked whether he regretted that he was defeated in the last election of his life, Mr Shekhawat, said, ''I have no regret. It it not correct that I have never faced defeat. I have been defeated even in Parliamentary polls. In past I had contested many times from two places so that the influence of the BJP could be spread to new areas.'' Asked whether he was going to congratulate the President elect and his rival Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Mr Shekhawat said that he would do so. However, first he would submit his resignation.

Regarding his future plans, Mr Shekhawat said he would reveal it in a day or two.

Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunsi had demanded that Mr Shekhawat should hear his ''inner voice of conscience'' and resign on moral grounds following his crushing defeat in the Presidential polls.

Admitting that there was no constitutional compulsion for Mr Shekhawat to resign, he said he should do set an example for the future generations that the Vice President resigned following his defeat in the Presidential polls.

UNI