YBC : No. No. I feel it was a good name. I said this to Mr. K.K. Shah when he came to me. I said. "KK, I feel this is a good name, and it can take root if one can prepare the ground for it. this name has good chance," I mention this now because it has some relation to somethings later. He said, "It is a good idea. If you think so, we may probably take to PM". There were people constantly meeting the Prime Minister. I think a week after that I had occasion to meet the Prime Minister. This question came up, the Presidential candidate. While discussing something else, we both talked about it. I mentioned what I had mentioned to K.K. Shah and others. "This is a good name. Why not try ?"
TVK : She said or you said ?
YBC : I said. I distinctly remember her reaction. She said :
"BHAI, YE NAAM THO THEEK HAI.
LEKIN, BABUJI, MY CHAHTI HUM WORKING
COMMITEE
OR CABINET ME VO CHANGE TOH BALANCE
CHALE CHANGE."
You understand ? "In the Working Committee and in the Cabinet there will not be that balance (if he goes)."
TVK : If he goes as President, there will be imbalance - where ?
YBC : In the Working Committee and in the Government. That meant she did not want to pursue the matter. That was clear. As far as I was concerned, I got the message. I was trying to find out what her thinking was.
TVK : What did you do then ?
YBC : Parliament was in session and Sanjiva Reddy who was the Speaker telephoned me one evening and said, "I want to come and see you." I said, "Mr. Speaker, why should you come to me ? Indicate sometime and I will come to you and meet you." I had no idea why he was coming, why the Speaker should come to me. He said, "No, no. I am coming for a work for which I must come to you."
Next morning he came to me. He said, "Let us talk about business straight away. The Prime Minister wanted to know whether I was willing to be the candidate for the Presidential election. She has practically given me the hint that I should be the President. What will be your attitude?" I said : "When the Prime Minister has the inclination to support you, I would certainly welcome you. You were Congress President. I will be glad if you become the President."
He was very happy. He said, "I did not want to delay the process because immediately after the session I am going abroad and so I may not be able to meet you."
After that there was a meeting of the Working Committee in Delhi for preparing for the Bangalore session. We were supposed to meet sometime in June in Bangalore. When the Working Committee meeting was going on, one afternoon, the Prime Minister sent word to me, "Some of us are meeting. Why don't you come?" So I went to No.1 Safdarjung Road. When I went there I found Fakhruddin, Sardar Swaran Singh and Jagjivan Ram. They were discussing the Presidential candidate.