At-Home, PM's chit-chat with Prez

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday evening had an unscheduled meeting with President A P J Abdul Kalam at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

On the sidelines of the customary Independence Day 'At-Home' hosted at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Singh sought a meeting with Kalam, official sources said.

The President immediately agreed and the two met for over 15 minutes.

The meeting has set off speculations on what could have prompted Singh to meet the President in the midst of the 60th Independence Day celebrations.

Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesman S M Khan said the two leaders discussed "issues of national importance."

There was no official word on the issues taken up in the meeting but it is speculated that the Prime Minister could have taken up issue of the bill relating to the Office of Profit controversy, which is before the President for assent.

The issue of nuclear deal with the US may have also come up for discussion against the background of reservation expressed by Indian nuclear scientists about the American legislation and the Parliamentary discussion likely on Thursday.