Kalam wants parties to field candidates with 'integrity'

Most of India's lawmakers are ill-informed and unsure of their objectives which hampers the nation's progress, former President APJ Abdul Kalam has said and advised political parties to field candidates who have "integrity" and can deliver on development

Most of India's lawmakers are ill-informed and unsure of their objectives which hampers the nation's progress, former President APJ Abdul Kalam has said and advised political parties to field candidates who have "integrity" and can deliver on development.

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Watching the Lok Sabha poll fever with keen interest, he appealed to the political parties to place the nation above everything else and nominate people who can "work and succeed with integrity" in the elections.

"All the political parties should keep in their mind ... that the nation is bigger than the party or any individual," Kalam told in an interview.

"When they nominate members they must keep a motto they should select people who work with integrity and succeed with integrity," the former scientist-President said while replying to a question on what he thought about parties nominating candidates with criminal background in elections.

He said candidates usually "do not know what they want to do" and even do not have much idea about their own constituencies.

Asked whether it was hampering India's progress, Kalam replied, "Yes, naturally, naturally. The candidates should know more about the constituency.