While withdrawing from the race for presidency though he was Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee’s choice, former president APJ Abdul Kalam on Tuesday reciprocated her gesture by praising her “great leadership quality”.
This came a day after the Trinamool chief, who is also West Bengal chief minister, expressed disappointment at Kalam’s decision to pull out of the race for Rashtrapati Bhavan.
In a letter, Kalam thanked Banerjee for proposing his name. “Your firmness for a cause, particularly your courage and determination to sacrifice the golden political throne, is indeed graceful politics,” he wrote.
Within hours of receiving the letter, Banerjee responded by describing him as a “friend, philosopher and guide” for the country.
She wrote: “I am deeply touched, obliged and overwhelmed (by) the sentiments expressed in your letter. We Indians are proud of you…”
On Monday Banerjee posted a message on Facebook, saying that Kalam’s decision to back out had “hurt (her) deeply”.
Banerjee had made her debut on the site by trying to garner support for Kalam’s candidature.
{{/usCountry}}Banerjee had made her debut on the site by trying to garner support for Kalam’s candidature.
{{/usCountry}}She also launched a veiled attack on Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, who too had opted for Kalam together with her, saying “some political parties simply failed the people at this critical moment”.