Jethmalani ready to take on Vajpayee

Favouring a united front of opposition parties to defeat the National Democratic Alliance, noted lawyer and former Union minister, Ram Jethmalani, on Saturday did not rule out contesting against Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in
Lucknow if he was accepted as a common candidate in the coming Lok Sabha election.

"I am not ruling out... I will not mind contesting against Vajpayee in Lucknow if it is a one-to-one contest," Jethmalani, who has of late been critical of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government, said at a press conference in New Delhi.

He, however, said it was still just speculation and that he was working for unity of like-minded secular forces.

Asked if the Congress had taken a view on Jethmalani's candidature against Vajpayee, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal, who was also present at the press conference, said: "Well, this is just a beginning. But whoever is coming forth to defeat NDA government, the party (Congress) will wholeheartedly support.