Though forced to eat a humble pie on the issue of support to A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s candidature for the post of President, the Congress today bared its fangs and said that it would contest for the Vice-President’s post in the event of the NDA Government imposing its candidate on others.Elections for the Vice-President are expected to be held sometime in August. The NDA has a majority in the electoral college that will elect the Vice-President.And though all eyes are set on the forthcoming Presidential elections, the Congress has begun taking note of the unconfirmed reports that the BJP was toying with the idea of fielding former Rajasthan chief minister and senior party leader B.S. Shekhawat for the Vice-President’s post.Congress spokesperson S. Jaipal Reddy today held that if the NDA shied away from arriving at a consensus for Vice-President, the principal Opposition party would be ‘‘left with no choice’’ but to contest the elections.Jaipal, however, did not say what the Congress’ strategy would be. Yesterday, the Congress had denied suggestions that it had agreed to Kalam’s candidature after reaching an ‘‘understanding’’ with the NDA on the matter of Vice-President.‘‘We shall try to evolve a consensus for the post of Vice-President. But if the NDA does not co-operate, or if we do not consider its candidate suitable enough, there will be a contest. We will also take other parties into confidence,’’ Reddy maintained.
