Presidential polls: 'One must wait', says Abdul Kalam

New Delhi, Apr 29 (ANI): Evading posers on who will be the next presidential candidate, former President Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam has said patience needs to be exercised on the matter.

"Let us wait for sometime, please ask me after some time," Kalam told media here.

His remarks come at a time when political parties are holding meetings to arrive a consensus on who will be next president of India.

Recently, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Shahid Siddiqui Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Shahid Siddiqui on Monday welcomed Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar's suggestion that the president of the country should be a non-political person, and said his party would definitely back Dr. Kalam if there is a consensus on his name.

Siddiqui said Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had proposed the name of Kalam to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2002, and added that his party would like to see the renowned nuclear scientist return to Rashtrapati Bhavan.

"The name of Dr. Abdul Kalam is also being suggested by many groups and parties. Mulayam Singhji had proposed his name in 2002 to Atalji (former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee), and Atalji accepted that and Kalam Sahab proved to be one of the most popular and most respected president India ever had. And today if there is a consensus on his name, then definitely Samajwadi Party will not be averse to it," said Siddiqui.

"We have been speaking to other parties and we are trying to build a national consensus on one name, because it will be preferable that the president should not be just by election, but by consensus, because India is passing through a very delicate political phase. And, India should have a president, who represents the nation not any group or party," he added.

Abdul Kalam had served as the 11th President of India from July 25, 2002 to July 24, 2007.

According to media reports, some of the possible contenders for the post include, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, Prime Minister's Advisor Sam Pitroda and Infosys' Narayan Murthy. (ANI)