Chandra Shekhar backs 145;secular146; friend

A day after the UPA-Left combine named its candidate for the presidential poll, the rival camp fielded former prime minister Chandra Shekhar to invest its nominee Bhairon Singh Shekhawat with a secular cap.

A day after the UPA-Left combine named its candidate for the presidential poll, the rival camp fielded former prime minister Chandra Shekhar to invest its nominee Bhairon Singh Shekhawat with a secular cap. The move is designed to offer leeway to parties who want to vote against Pratibha Patil, but wish to hold on to their secular-tag as well.

Undaunted by his failing health the former PM issued a written appeal to prop up the secular credentials of his old friend Shekhawat. In fact, the threesome8212;A B Vajpayee, Chandra Shekhar and Shekhawat8212;share a unique bonding, descending party lines and the rough and tumble of daily politics. For broader goals, they tend to go out of their way to help one another.

In conformity with the level of stakes for Shekhawat, Chandra Shekhar was not short on words today. He said, 8220;In the midst of the many problems and challenges currently confronting the country, we are also engaged with the high responsibility of electing the next head of our Republic.8221;

8220;I wholeheartedly and without any reservation endorse/ propose the election of Shekhawat as our next President.8221; Thereafter, he showered Shekhawat with praise. 8220;He combines a life-time8217;s experience of dedicated public service with rare qualities of head and heart. A public figure of eminence and high repute, Shekhawat has discharged his responsibilities with impeccable secular credentials. He is deserving support from all.8221;

This gesture could not have been better timed, coming, as it does, ahead of a third front meeting scheduled for June 18 at Chennai, where leaders of eight parties would take a decision on the poll. Shekhawat8217;s candidature would become credible only if this professedly 8220;secular8221; grouping rallies round him.

The appeal was followed by a visit by Punjab CM president Parkash Singh Badal. All praise for Shekhawat, Badal vowed to support him. On being asked about Pratibha Patil, Badal asked: 8220;Who is she?8221;

JDU chief Sharad Yadav also dismissed speculation. 8220;Irrespective of who is the candidate, the NDA will vote together,8221; he declared.

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As Shekhawat spent the day monitoring and reviewing the network he has put in place for mobilising support for himself, it was naturally left to the BJP to take on Pratibha Patil.

The attack was lethal on Day One. 8220;Under Sonia Gandhi, we are graduating from having a captive PM to a subservient President,8221; BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said. 8220;Both would be accountable to her,8221; he added. The Rashtrapati Bhawan, according to him, 8220;offers us a forum for a symbolic redressal of grievances.8221; The prospect of Patil8217;s installation as the President bodes ill on that count.8221;