Rejecting Third Front's pleas for consensus on a second term for President APJ Abdul Kalam, RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Thursday said Kalam should step down gracefully.
"Kalam should resign gracefully as it was too late for any reconsideration on the issue," he said in New Delhi after signing nomination papers of the UPA-Left presidential candidate Pratibha Patil as a proposer.
His wife Rabri Devi, former chief minister and leader of Opposition in the state assembly, also signed the paper at Prasad's official residence in the presence of senior Congress leader PR Dasmunsi.
After proposing the name of Patil, the RJD chief said the victory of UPA-Left candidate is certain as the alliance along with supporting parties have a clear lead of over one lakh votes.
On the second term for Kalam as proposed by Third Front, he said, "it was NDA Chairman and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who had refused for a second term to Kalam."
He said all political parties should support the first woman candidate and "should not play in the hands of RSS, BJP on the crucial matter".
"Patil is not only the candidate of Congress party but she is also fully backed by all UPA allies and other parties," he said.
{{/usCountry}}"Patil is not only the candidate of Congress party but she is also fully backed by all UPA allies and other parties," he said.
{{/usCountry}}Endorsing Prasad's viewpoint, Dasmunsi said the nomination papers of Patil was first signed by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi followed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and then BSP Chief Mayawati.