Advani rejects PM's 'insincere' plea

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's attempt to seek "consensus" with the Opposition over the surprise nomination of Pratibha Patil as the presidential candidate late Thursday night has come a cropper.

Leader of Opposition LK Advani, who learned of the Congress' choice while in Pune during the day, returned to Delhi around 10 pm. On hearing that the Prime Minister had called, wanting to speak to him, he returned the call.

Singh told Advani that the UPA's "coordination committee has agreed on nominating Pratibha Patil", and, in an effort to describe the choice as a considered decision, went on to add, "On the 60th anniversary of India's independence, electing a woman President would be a fitting tribute to womanhood".

According to Advani, Singh then broached the issue of consensus. "We want the Opposition, particularly the BJP, to support this great endeavour of electing a woman President," he told Advani.

After listening to the Prime Minister, Advani told him, "This is not the way of evolving consensus. The process involves consultation, but you never consulted us. The question of consensus cannot arise at this late stage."

Incidentally, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had called for evolving a consensus on the next President three weeks ago. He had spoken to Congress president Sonia Gandhi about this, but between then and Thursday night, there was no response from the Government on the issue of consensus.

Advani, while speaking to Singh, went on to recall what he had told mediapersons in Pune earlier in the day after learning of the Congress's choice: "Never before has the ruling party or alliance failed to come up with a name for so long ... after great difficulty they have selected somebody whose name did not figure among those doing the rounds." He also pointed out how the other names had been knocked off the list by the Congress' allies.

Describing the Prime Minister's 'request' as an "insincere plea" and a "transparent ploy", Advani said the BJP and the NDA could not agree to a "consensus" on the nomination.

Sources said the BJP's top leadership is aghast at the brazen attempt to get the Opposition to endorse the Congress' last minute choice for the presidential race.

They pointed out how Sushil Kumar Shinde's name was struck off by BSP chief Mayawati, Shivraj Patil's name was crossed out by the Left and Pranab Mukherjee never quite made it to the list because of Sonia Gandhi's opposition.

The BJP leadership views Pratibha Patil's nomination as a result of the lowest common denominator of the criteria adopted by the Congress ---- select someone so nondescript that he or she will not elicit any objection from the party's allies and unquestioningly sign on the dotted line.

Mocking at the Prime Minister's attempt to portray the Congress' choice as a 60th anniversary tribute to India's womanhood, a senior BJP leader pointed out, "This is the first time in 60 years that caste has been made a criterion for selecting a presidential candidate. It is sad and lamentable."