New Delhi: 12:45 pm: The NDA remained undecided on its Presidential candidate after a meeting at senior leader LK Advani's residence on Friday morning. Advani said the meeting was not to decide anything but to analyse the situation.
"Today's meeting was not to decide anything. It was to analyse the situation going on and to discuss the further strategy," Advani said.
Advani said that the BJP was in touch with the non-Congress parties and was watching the developments closely. ""We will closely watch every development. Two leaders who played very crucial roles have gone back to their states and are allies of the ruling party. We have decided to be in touch with all leaders of the non-ruling parties," Advani said.
He also accused the UPA government of handling the Presidential poll clumsily.
Advani also said that the Presidential poll of 2012 will be a sensational one, just as it was in 1969.
12:30 pm: NCP leader PA Sangma made it clear that he won't withdraw from the Presidential race, but at the same time hinted that APJ Abdul Kalam may not contest the Presidential election. "I don't think Kalam will contest. Kalam will not take a risk again," Sangma said.
"I am not standing as the NCP candidate but as the candidate of the 10 crore 'Adiwasi' population," Sangma added.
11:00 AM: The NCP tried to persuade its leader PA Sangma to withdraw from the Presidential race, according to sources. Sangma, however, made it clear that he won't withdraw from the race. Speaking to CNN-IBN, Sangma said, "I will not withdraw from the Presidential race. I will contest in the elections even if Kalam is in the fray."
Pranab vs Kalam: Where the contest stands:
Total votes (MPs + MLAs) = 10,98,882
Votes needed to elect the President: 5,49,442
Support for Pranab
Congress + DMK + NCP + NC + RJD + RLD = 413558 (37.6 per cent)
Support for Kalam
BJP + TDP + SP + TMC = 396469 (36 per cent)
Undecided parties
JDU + Left + BSP + AIADMK + BJD + Others = 288855 (26.4 per cent)
Numbers in the Lok Sabha:
Lok Sabha strength: 541/543
UPA: 276
Outside support: 49
NDA: 151
Others: 65
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