NEWS

Third Front to meet Kalam Wednesday

By Onkar Singh in New Delhi
June 19, 2007 11:07 IST

President A P J Abdul Kalam will meet the leaders of the newly-formed Third Front on Wednesday.

Rashtrapati Bhavan officials said on Tuesday morning that the President will meet the leaders at 3.30 pm.

United National Progressive Alliance convenor J Jayalaithaa had on Monday suggested that the leaders of the front meet President Kalam and ask him to run for a second term.

In a significant development, Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat has said that he could reconsider his candidature in case there was consensus on Kalam. Shekhawat's decision comes after a meeting with former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Vajpayee is personally supervising the presidential campaign for Shekhawat, who is likely to file his nomination as an independent should Kalam decline the offer.

Jayalalithaa, Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu and other leaders of the Third Front would be reaching New Delhi either late on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning. They would meet once again in New Delhi before calling on the President.

President Kalam has already made it clear that he would prefer a consensus on his name rather than a contest.

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

Recommended by Rediff.com

NEXT ARTICLE

NewsBusinessMoviesSportsCricketGet AheadDiscussionLabsMyPageVideosCompany Email