CPM doesn146;t see Kalam getting a second term

The CPIM appears to have fired the first salvo against a second term for President A P J Abdul Kalam with party general secretary Prakash Karat saying...

The CPIM appears to have fired the first salvo against a second term for President A P J Abdul Kalam with party general secretary Prakash Karat saying he would not hazard a guess about who his party would support for the top post. He also did not comment on whether Speaker Somnath Chatterjee was a probable candidate.

8220;As far as a second term is concerned, I recall that last time the BJP had argued that no person should be given a second term and that is why they would not support K R Narayanan. They had said since Dr Rajendra Prasad, nobody was given a second term. I wonder what argument they would give now,8221; he said.

On the party8217;s strategy for the election to the highest office, he said: 8220;Our party will be discussing the presidential election soon after the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are over. The picture will be clearer then about the electoral college. As far as our party is concerned, we will consider the candidate who is most suitable for holding the post of president,8221; he said.

Karat also said his party will not withdraw its backing to the UPA government even as it plans to work for a 8220;third alternative8221; on the basis of a common platform. 8220;The CPIM has not considered withdrawal of support to the UPA government. Withdrawal of support would mean destabilising the government,8221; party general secretary Prakash Karat said in an interview.

8220;Who would benefit from this, except the BJP? Our view is that since we are outside the government, we should continue to press for changes in policies and mobilise people against the measures which are not in the interests of the people and the country. If there is any alternative proposal, we can discuss it in the Left parties.8221; He was replying to a question about his CPI counterpart A B Bardhan8217;s call for Left parties to review their support to the UPA government which was described as 8220;non-performing8221;.

KARATSPEAK

ON THIRD FRONT: It would be misleading to link the coming together of parties like the SP, TDP, AIADMK and AGP to cobble up a Third Front to elections. 8220;The third alternative should emerge and work together on a common platform of policies. That alternative is yet to take shape,8221; Prakash Karat said, adding that they had already talked to both parties inside and outside the UPA.

ON UP POLLS: The CPIM leader said he was not in a position to predict what would happen in Uttar Pradesh, but expressed hope that the BSP would not join hands with the BJP. He recalled that the two parties had come together on two occasions in the past and hoped it would not happen this time. 8220;Our main concern in UP is to see that BJP does not come into government with the help of any other party8230;We would like a secular government in UP. Efforts should be made in this direction,8221; he said.

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ON NANDIGRAM: The CPIM leader said the party and the Left Front government there should learn lessons from the episode. 8220;Industrialisation is required in West Bengal8230;But in case land acquisition is to take place, it should be done only with the consent of the people and by providing adequate compensation and rehabilitation8221;.

ON SINGUR: He made it clear that the Tata Motors project would go ahead and rejected allegations that there was coercion in acquisition of land for the small car project. 8220;The compensation package for the land owners, sharecroppers and others dependent on land is a fair one8221;.