Maharashtra BJP chief Patil attributes APJ Abdul Kalam's Presidency to PM; draws flak

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil on Saturday faced flak from other political leaders after he claimed that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had made APJ Abdul Kalam the President of India in 2002. While speaking at a party function in Pune on Friday, Chandrakant Patil had said that the BJP was not against patriotic Muslims but it opposed only those "who work as sleeper cells". 

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Maharashtra BJP chief said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given opportunity to many common people...He made APJ Abdul Kalam the President of India. Kalam was made the President not because of his religion but because of his exemplary contribution as a scientist."

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Maharashtra BJP chief faces criticism 

Reacting to Patil's claim, State Congress secretary and spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, "Today, neither APJ Abdul Kalam nor Vajpayee is alive. Tomorrow Chandrakant Patil may even say that the universe came into being because of Modi."

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The Shiv Sena dismissed Chandrakant Patil's claim and said that it was a masterstroke by late Atal Bihari Vajpayee and late Pramod Mahajan too was involved in it. The Shiv Sena said, "All parties had supported the candidature of Dr Kalam. I only know that Modi was not on the national political scene then. My knowledge or information might be inadequate but was he [Kalam] Vajpayee’s choice, which was backed by everybody. It is laughable that some people are taking credit for everything that has happened in the country."

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