Prez poll: Kalam says he will take decision at right time

Bihta (Bihar), Jun 15: APJ Abdul Kalam, who has been named as a Presidential candidate by SP and TMC, today said he will take a proper decision at the right time on entering the race for the high post.

"Many political leaders have contacted and want me to become President of India. I appreciate this idea, I respect their views. I will take proper decision at the right time," he told reporters here.

Here for attending a function at a local college, Kalam was asked whether he was in the race for President's post. The SP and TMC on Tuesday had proposed the names of Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former Speaker Somnath Chatterjee as their candidates after Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee met Sonia Gandhi and said Pranab Mukherjee and Hamid Ansari were the first and second choices of Congress.

Yesterday after meeting SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Banerjee said, Kalam was the joint candidate of SP and TMC. Kalam arrived in Patna last night and was warmly received at the airport by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Kalam would inaugurate a high-tech IT Centre at the Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology here, visit vernacular daily 'Prabhat Khabar's office at Boring Road in Patna and attend another function at the SK Memorial Hall before leaving for Delhi this evening.

PTI