NEW DELHI, July 18: Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, India’s controversial “missile man” was declared elected on Thursday as the country’s 12th president by nearly 90 per cent votes, defeating a communist-backed woman who had once waged armed struggle against the British rule.

Kalam’s name was proposed by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s National Democratic Alliance, which ruled out a second term for the left-leaning liberal President K.R. Narayanan.

Kalam’s candidature was supported by the main opposition Congress party and some other small opposition groups.

President Pervez Musharraf promptly congratulated Kalam, India’s third Muslim president, and expressed optimism that the two could work together to foster tension-free relations between both the countries.

“I wish to convey my sincere greetings on your election as the President of the Republic of India,” Musharraf said in a letter addressed to the man credited with developing India’s lethal arsenal of nuclear-capable missiles, mostly targeting Pakistan.

“I hope to work with you for the establishment of tension-free relations between our two countries as well as for resolving the differences that stand in the way of normal bilateral relations.”

“I am indeed delighted to get elected as the next President”, the 71-year old Kalam told reporters after he was formally told about his election by 89.53 per cent votes against ‘Captain’ Lakshmi Sahgal, a doctor who commanded a women’s contingent in the Indian National Army led by Subhash Chandra Bose.

“My message to the country is that “we need a vision, a second vision for the nation to get India transformed into a developed country in 20 years,” Kalam said.

Security has been beefed up for the new incumbent to the British-built Presidential Palace. Newspapers have named Lashkar- i-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen as some of the militant groups that have threatened to target Kalam.

Asked to comment on his election as India’s first non- politician president, Kalam said: “I am working from 1982 onwards directly with the government whether it be related with research, launch vehicles or nuclear programmes. Unless political decisions are taken, satellites will not be in orbit”.

“Political decision are vital for the success of any programme. I have worked with six prime ministers, I know how to handle politics”, he said.

Asked about criticism of his agenda by some Left parties, including their presidential nominee Laxmi Sahgal, he said: “I don’t have any rival. They are my friends, they are all nationalists, they all want India to develop.”

Kalam got 4,152 votes with a vote value of 9,22,884, against Sahgal’s 459 votes accounting for 1,07,366 votes.

Sahgal congratulated Kalam on his victory and assured her supporters that she would continue to work for the goals she had campaigned for.