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Congress objects to NDA’s letter

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Saturday objected to certain phrases in the letter of support written by the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and National Democratic Alliance leader George Fernandes in favour of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.

According to Union Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, the two leaders justified Mr. Shekhawat’s candidature, saying it was on account of the “unprincipled opposition” by the party in power to A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and also referred to the present election as “unusual.”

Mr. Dasmunsi, principal election agent of United Progressive Alliance-Left candidate Pratibha Patil, said that in a democracy it was the government of the day which had the mandate to negotiate and decide who would be its head. Even when Mr. Kalam was chosen by the National Democratic Alliance, it did not consult leaders of the Opposition, Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh.

Unlike them, the Congress, after completing the process within the coalition and supporting parties, reached out to the Opposition and sought support for its candidate.

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