New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi will meet her party's
toughest ally Mamata Banerjee in the national capital today seeking to
build consensus on the UPA's candidate for President.
The Congress has so far not named its choice for the top post. However, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is believed by many to be the front-runner among those vying to be the next President of the country.
Mr Mukherjee has cancelled a trip to Afghanistan. His office says he wants to remain in Delhi to monitor the economic slowdown. But in political circles, his presence is being read as a sign that he is on stand-by for the Presidential nomination.
But the Congress doesn't appear ready for that just yet, despite the urging of its allies. That could be because it's still ascertaining whether Mr Mukherjee is a better choice than Vice President Hamid Ansari. Nitish Kumar's party, the JD (U), has said it prefers Mr Ansari. The JD(U) is an important member of the NDA, the coalition led by the BJP. While the BJP is yet to announce its party line, sources say it may be willing to back Mr Mukherjee. BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and LK Advani have been assigned to coordinate the party's efforts.
By conveying her stand to the Congress, Ms Banerjee has efficiently lobbed the ball right back into her political partner's court before she meets its President Sonia Gandhi today.
The West Bengal Chief Minister reportedly does not want to be accused of blocking a Bengali's path to Rashtrapati Bhawan. She has also denied that her support for the candidate shortlisted by the Congress will depend largely on whether the Centre agrees to waive for three years the Rs. 22,000 crores her state owes as interest on loans.
A more cynical view in political corridors is that for Ms Banerjee, a major advantage of Mr Mukherjee's elevation to President of India is that he would no longer be in government. Their relationship has not been entirely smooth of late.
Mrs Gandhi has been authorised by her party to choose its candidate for President - the election is scheduled for July 19, and counting, if required, will be held on July 22. Sources in the UPA say that the Congress may wait till the Prime Minister returns from the G-20 summit in Mexico on June 24 before announcing its nomination.
Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sharad Pawar and the DMK, all key allies of the Congress in the UPA coalition, have allegedly pledged - directly or indirectly, in Mr Pawar's case - to back Mr Mukherjee. So the only Congress ally who has yet to come on board is Ms Banerjee.
As the heads of regional parties who scored huge in the last elections in their states, Ms Banerjee and Mr Yadav, who met in Delhi last evening, will have a huge say in who becomes the President. The election places at par the votes of all MPs with those of all elected members of state legislatures - so regional parties count for a lot.
It's not just the post of president that's up for grabs. Jaswant Singh of the BJP, according to sources, is hoping to be made Vice-President. Jaswant Singh met Mr Yadav to ask for his support on Tuesday morning. But Mr Yadav has allegedly refused to back a BJP candidate. The BJP reportedly may be open to supporting the UPA candidate for president in exchange for Mr Singh being accepted as the Vice President.
The Congress has so far not named its choice for the top post. However, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is believed by many to be the front-runner among those vying to be the next President of the country.
Mr Mukherjee has cancelled a trip to Afghanistan. His office says he wants to remain in Delhi to monitor the economic slowdown. But in political circles, his presence is being read as a sign that he is on stand-by for the Presidential nomination.
Ms Banerjee, who arrived in Delhi yesterday, has reportedly conveyed to
the Congress that she will support Mr Mukherjee for President, but not
before the Congress declares he is the official candidate for the UPA. But the Congress doesn't appear ready for that just yet, despite the urging of its allies. That could be because it's still ascertaining whether Mr Mukherjee is a better choice than Vice President Hamid Ansari. Nitish Kumar's party, the JD (U), has said it prefers Mr Ansari. The JD(U) is an important member of the NDA, the coalition led by the BJP. While the BJP is yet to announce its party line, sources say it may be willing to back Mr Mukherjee. BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and LK Advani have been assigned to coordinate the party's efforts.
By conveying her stand to the Congress, Ms Banerjee has efficiently lobbed the ball right back into her political partner's court before she meets its President Sonia Gandhi today.
The West Bengal Chief Minister reportedly does not want to be accused of blocking a Bengali's path to Rashtrapati Bhawan. She has also denied that her support for the candidate shortlisted by the Congress will depend largely on whether the Centre agrees to waive for three years the Rs. 22,000 crores her state owes as interest on loans.
A more cynical view in political corridors is that for Ms Banerjee, a major advantage of Mr Mukherjee's elevation to President of India is that he would no longer be in government. Their relationship has not been entirely smooth of late.
Mrs Gandhi has been authorised by her party to choose its candidate for President - the election is scheduled for July 19, and counting, if required, will be held on July 22. Sources in the UPA say that the Congress may wait till the Prime Minister returns from the G-20 summit in Mexico on June 24 before announcing its nomination.
Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sharad Pawar and the DMK, all key allies of the Congress in the UPA coalition, have allegedly pledged - directly or indirectly, in Mr Pawar's case - to back Mr Mukherjee. So the only Congress ally who has yet to come on board is Ms Banerjee.
As the heads of regional parties who scored huge in the last elections in their states, Ms Banerjee and Mr Yadav, who met in Delhi last evening, will have a huge say in who becomes the President. The election places at par the votes of all MPs with those of all elected members of state legislatures - so regional parties count for a lot.
It's not just the post of president that's up for grabs. Jaswant Singh of the BJP, according to sources, is hoping to be made Vice-President. Jaswant Singh met Mr Yadav to ask for his support on Tuesday morning. But Mr Yadav has allegedly refused to back a BJP candidate. The BJP reportedly may be open to supporting the UPA candidate for president in exchange for Mr Singh being accepted as the Vice President.
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