Presidential polls: BJP draws a blank with Kalam, looks to Sangma

Former president APJ Abdul Kalam has refused to run for President of India against Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. In a statement this afternoon, he said he has "never aspired to serve another term or shown interest in contesting the election." Acknowledging that political parties and citizens had urged him to contest the election, he said, "I want to thank them for the trust they have in me. I've considered the totality of the matter and the present political situation and decided not to contest the presidential election 2012."