Former President, Mr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who has been named as a Presidential candidate by the Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress, today said that he will take a proper decision at the right time on entering the race for the high post.

“Many political leaders have contacted and want me to become President of India. I appreciate this idea, I respect their views. I will take proper decision at the right time,” he told reporters here.

The SP and TMC on Tuesday had proposed the names of Mr Kalam, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and former Speaker Mr Somnath Chatterjee as their candidates.

The proposal came after the Trinamool Congress leader, Ms Mamata Banerjee, met the Congress President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, and said Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Mr Hamid Ansari were the first and second choices of Congress.

Yesterday after meeting the SP chief, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, Ms Banerjee said that Mr Kalam was the joint candidate of SP and TMC.

Mr Kalam arrived in Patna last night and was warmly received at the airport by the Bihar Chief Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar.

He would inaugurate a high-tech IT Centre at the Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology here, visit vernacular daily ‘Prabhat Khabar’s office at Boring Road in Patna and attend another function at the S K Memorial Hall before leaving for Delhi this evening.

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