Overcoming its disappointment with A P J Abdul Kalam's decision not to enter the ring, BJP leadership is considering to support P A Sangma in the presidential race provided that the former Lok Sabha Speaker will stay put in the face of an expulsion threat from his party, the NCP. Although NDA partners Shiv Sena and JD(U) continued with their reservations against forcing a contest and another ally JMM signalled support for Pranab Mukherjee, BJP leadership seems to have settled on contesting the polls despite the certainty of defeat.