Seshan to contest Presidential poll

Former chief election commissioner T N Seshan on Friday announced his candidature as an independent candidate for the Presidential election.

''After months of conscious thinking, I have decided to contest for the office of President of India,'' he told journalists at his New Delhi home.

So far no party, he said, has assured him of support, but each one has wished him success. Rather than join one party or another, or start a new party, or contest and maybe win a seat to the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha, he said he would contest for public office.

In these troubled times, Seshan felt the President can play an outstanding role despite the ''circumscribed role'' laid down by the Constitution.

Stating that the early years of monolithic party ruling the Centre and the states was over, he said regional parties had come to the fore and coalition governments would perhaps become the rule rather than the exception. In these circumstances the President's role could be most important.

Before making his plan public Seshan said he had held several meetings with senior leaders of various parties including Bharatiya Janata Party leader A B Vajpayee, Congress president Sitaram Kesri, Sharad Pawar and Rajesh Pilot, Bahajun Samaj Party chief Kanshi Ram, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, Tamil Maanila Congress leader P Chidambaram and Janata Dal president and Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav. Most of these leaders had wished him success, he said. He said he also planned to meet Sonia Gandhi.

Seshan said his Deshbhakt organisation will play a crucial role in the next general election by campaigning for candidates or even putting up its own candidates.

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