NEW DELHI, May 16: The name of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has unexpectedly figured as a possible opposition candidate for India’s presidential race due later this year.

According to news reports on Wednesday, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Mr Vajpayee's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had accepted the idea but left the choice of candidacy to the former premier after his name was proposed by West Bengal leader Mamta Banerjee.

The Tribune said the BJP was also looking at Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as a possible NDA candidate. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s UPA coalition was toying with the names of Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, a Dalit leader of the Congress party as its first choice. Former ruler of Jammu and Kashmir Dr Karan Singh is also in the field as a likely Congress candidate.

However, much depends on the newly sworn-in Dalit chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Ms Maywati’s preferences. She has a large number of MPs as well as an impressive majority in the Uttar Pradesh state assembly to tip the fine balance.

President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has indicated that he would not be a candidate for a second term if his name did not enjoy complete consesus. The CPI-M-led Left Front has opposed his candidacy.