Photo: PTI

Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat on the Eiffel Tower in Paris on Tuesday.

On Board Air India Special Flight: With his name also doing the rounds for the presidential post, 84-year-old Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat feels his age is not a hurdle for the top job. "My age will not pose any hurdle," he told reporters, parrying a direct reply on whether he was in the race for presidential election next year. The Vice-President was talking to mediapersons on his way back home from a week-long visit to two Caribbean nations — Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.

All-round praise

As Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Mr. Shekhawat, associated for long with the BJP before his election as Vice-President, has earned all-round praise for his conduct of proceedings in the House and is mentioned in political circles as a contender in the presidential race next year. Asked how he felt on being on the top of Eiffel Tower in Paris, where he spent a day, Mr. Shekhawat said, "even at this age I could go to the top."

The Vice-President's remarks that his age would not pose any hurdle for the presidential post came when he was asked whether he now aimed at scaling another height (the post of President). To a question whether he went to the gym to keep himself fit, the Vice-President said gyms were meant for those who were physically unfit. "See, my schedule has been so hectic in the last four-five days," he said.

On his visit to Georgetown and Port of Spain, Mr. Shekhawat said his tour would send a message to all Caribbean nations that India was keen to cooperate with them. "My tour will boost bilateral ties and send the right message to all the Caribbean nations," he said and described his visit as "very successful" as it would enthuse confidence in the minds of people, a chunk of whom were of Indian origin. During his visit to Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, a number of agreements were signed to strengthen India's traditional ties with the Caribbean nations. The Vice-President held wide-ranging talks with the leaders of both the countries to bolster New Delhi's cooperation with them.

Both the countries shared with India a common perception on large number of international issues, including promoting international peace and security, combating terrorism and strengthening democracy. Guyana supported India's candidature for permanent membership of U.N. Security Council. — PTI

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