Shekhawat keeps options open

Vice president says he would be happy if consensus could be achieved on the candidature of Kalam proposed by the Third Front.

In yet another turn to the Presidential race, Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhwat on Monday night kept his options open, saying he would be happy if consensus could be achieved on the candidature of incumbent A P J Abdul Kalam, proposed by the Third Front.

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"Nothing would give me greater satisfaction than the President (Kalam) so consenting. For this, total unanimity of all parties is an imperative. I would be happy if that were achieved," he said in a statement hours after the Third Front announced support to Kalam for another term and the BJP-led NDA openly backed Shekhawat for the post.