PUNE, January 18: Estranged Congress leader and former Railway minister Suresh Kalmadi ended weeks of speculations about his candidature today, saying that he would contest the Pune Lok Sabha seat as an independent candidate under the aegis of the Pune Vikas Agadhi floated by him.Speculations had been rife as to whether Kalmadi's candidature would be supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party which has the right to contest the seat under the seat-sharing arrangement between itself and its alliance partner, the Shiv Sena. However, the Sena chief had sounded that if Kalmadi secured the BJP's support but was unwilling to contest under its "lotus" symbol, then his party would be compelled to field its own candidate from the Pune constituency challenging the former Railway minister.
Kalmadi made it clear that he would contest the ensuing election as an independent candidate while addressing an election rally here this evening in the presence of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah. But, Kalmadi
clarified that he would still seek the blessings of individuals, political parties and organisations who were willing to support the stand adopted by him.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
