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Not improper

I do not think Mr. Kalam’s expression of willingness to run for President again if there was certainty of his victory was unsavoury. Many Indians wanted him to run for a second term, which was evident from the plethora of online petitions circulated for the cause. The President also received personal emails from several citizens, urging him to contest. His acceptance of the UNPA’s offer should be viewed not as a political manoeuvre but in the larger context of his respect for the people’s wishes.

Viswanath Mohan,
Austin, Texas

It was in response to the demand by a vast number of people that Mr. Kalam agreed to seek a second term, which he has now decided against as there is no certainty of his getting elected. Our politicians wield power that cannot be matched by ordinary people. The least they can do is to refrain from unfairly criticising Mr. Kalam.

Y. Venkataraman,
Chennai

RJD leader Lalu Prasad’s exhortation to Mr. Kalam to step down gracefully should qualify as the joke of the month.

K.V. Sundaravadanan,
Chennai

President Kalam’s apparently wavering or belated response will in no way diminish the high standards he has set while in office. Possibly, he hoped for a healthy consensus to emerge in keeping with the dignity of the post. By declining to jump into the race, he has saved himself the predicament of being a representative of rejected and disgruntled forces.

R. K. Divakara,
Bangalore

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