I think Babu Jagjivan Ram mentioned that Sanjiva Reddy was one of the names.  Before that I had met Kamaraj who had expressed himself, "No Giri".  The only thing he said was, "I have not thought about who should be but I think Giri should not be the Presidential candidate.  "So I mentioned this at that meeting.  At that small group some of them also had got an inkling of what Kamaraj's view was.  But what the Prime Minister really wanted to know was what should be done, if this question was immediately raised at the Parliamentary Board meeting.  I said, "What we should immediately do is to ask the Prime Minster and the Congress President to sit together and sort it out".

TVK :  Do you feel that she had not made up her mind one way or the other at that time?

YBC :  I got the impression that she was not keen on Giri.  About Jagjivan Ram, she had categorically said, no.

During the Working Committee meeting the Congress President did not think it necessary to call a meeting of the Parliamentary Board to discuss the Presidential Candidate.

TVK :  Was it one of the items on the agenda?

YBC :  Yes, the date for the nomination was drawing near.

TVK :  Them why did he want it to be put off?

YBC :  I don't know.  At least there was a desire to postpone it.   None of us was keen to see that it was decided at Delhi.  This was the last time before Bangalore that I had discussions about the Presidential candidate with the Prime Minister.

Normal consultations went on for sometime.  Then we met in Bangalore.  You know how the statement of the Prime Minister came into difficulties - the note on "some stray thoughts".

There was difference of opinion in the Working Committee.  The Prime Minister did not come on the first day.  I was there and had to bear the brunt of that day's discussions.  Next day she came and we discussed it again.  It was left to me to formulate a kind of compromise resolution which I did.  And in the meeting where we finalised that before we dispersed, the Congress President announced that at 1 p.m. there will be a meeting of the Parliamentary Board.

TVK :  Just like that.

YBC :  Yes, when we were about to get out, he said, "For the notice of the members, the Parliamentary Board is meeting here at Kumara Krupa, tomorrow at 1 O'clock for the Presidential candidate's nomination."  So we parted.  As we were coming out of the building - Kumara Krupa - the Prime Minister turned to me and said, "What are you doing after dinner?  Shall we meet for sometime?"  I was not well and so I lay down.  I told her I am not dining.  I had some fruits.  I was waiting for the Prime Minister' call.  After dinner she sent word. "BULAO, CHAVAN SAB KO", Yash Kapoor came and said, "AAP PHARMAH RAHEE HAI, AAP KO BULANE KE LIYE."  We were staying at Raj Bhawan.  I went there.  And this meeting lasted about 2 to 3 minutes.  When I went there, Fakhrudding was sitting there.  So naturally I thought they had something to discuss and I said, "What is the agenda?"  She said, "KYA KARNE HAI PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE KO?"

(What is to be done about the presidential candidate)