06-02-2007, 01:25 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Shekhawat likely to be non-NDA prez candidate </b>
PTI | New Delhi
As part of its strategy to win support of anti-BJP parties for vice-president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for presidency, the NDA is believed to have decided to put him up as a nominee possibly of groupings outside the opposition alliance.
<b>Reliable sources said Shekhawat's candidature for presidency could be proposed by any of the non-NDA, non-Congress parties.</b>
They, however, discounted reports that the vice-president could enter the presidential fray as an independent candidate.
"I don't think he will fight it (the presidential election) as an independent. It is possible that his candidature might be proposed by the 'third front'... Non-BJP, non-Congress parties," a source said.
A senior NDA leader admitted that parties like the SP, which have a sizeable strength in the presidential electoral college.
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"There is a consensus within the NDA over Shekhawat, but it would not name him as its own candidate, but would extend him support (as a non-NDA candidate),"</b> he added.
Officially, the BJP too hinted that it would support Shekhawat as a non-NDA candidate as part of a strategy.
<b>"As far as we are concerned, we will be happy to see a man of the stature of Shekhawat as president. However, the NDA has authorised its chairman (Vajpayee) to take a decision in this regard,"</b> said BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
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PTI | New Delhi
As part of its strategy to win support of anti-BJP parties for vice-president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for presidency, the NDA is believed to have decided to put him up as a nominee possibly of groupings outside the opposition alliance.
<b>Reliable sources said Shekhawat's candidature for presidency could be proposed by any of the non-NDA, non-Congress parties.</b>
They, however, discounted reports that the vice-president could enter the presidential fray as an independent candidate.
"I don't think he will fight it (the presidential election) as an independent. It is possible that his candidature might be proposed by the 'third front'... Non-BJP, non-Congress parties," a source said.
A senior NDA leader admitted that parties like the SP, which have a sizeable strength in the presidential electoral college.
<b>
"There is a consensus within the NDA over Shekhawat, but it would not name him as its own candidate, but would extend him support (as a non-NDA candidate),"</b> he added.
Officially, the BJP too hinted that it would support Shekhawat as a non-NDA candidate as part of a strategy.
<b>"As far as we are concerned, we will be happy to see a man of the stature of Shekhawat as president. However, the NDA has authorised its chairman (Vajpayee) to take a decision in this regard,"</b> said BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
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