Pranab's candidature gains momentum
Pranab Mukherjee’s name as the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) candidate for the President’s post appeared to be gathering momentum today and an announcement on it is expected next week. UPA sources said Congress President Sonia Gandhi, authorised by the party’s Working Committee to pick the candidate, is likely to make the announcement around June 15, probably a couple of days after the expected poll notification by the Election Commission.
Significantly, her political advisor, Ahmed Patel, had a meeting with Mukherjee at his North Block office. Sources said the Congress had already secured the support of key allies like the Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), who form part of the government, and outside supporters like the Samajwadi Party.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), another outside supporter, and the UPA’s second largest constituent, Trinamool Congress (TMC), are not expected to oppose the UPA candidate.
Sources said though TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had taken the name of Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and a couple of others as her favourite, her party is expected to toe the UPA line once Mukherjee’s name is announced, the logic being that the TMC cannot be expected to oppose a candidate from Bengal for the top post.
Sources also made it clear that no names were considered at the meeting of the Congress Core Group this morning, which was attended by Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and some other leaders.
A senior Congress leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the process for deciding the candidate for the top post was “going on expected lines. There could be a broader consensus”. His remarks came on the heels of the meeting of the Congress brass, including the PM and Gandhi, held in the backdrop of several pressing issues before the party and the government. Asked whether the candidate for presidential and vice-presidential elections would be announced simultaneously, the leader said, “It depends on how the negotiations advance”.
Gandhi had yesterday held consultations with senior party leader A K Antony and DMK leaders T R Baalu and M K Stalin on the issue of the Presidential candidate. On May 5, DMK supremo M Karunanidhi had said he had no objection if Pranab Mukherjee is chosen as UPA’s presidential candidate. Last month, Gandhi had sent Antony to Chennai to take Karunanidhi on board on the issue.
The Congress Working Committee had at its meeting earlier this week passed a resolution authorising Gandhi to decide candidates for the presidential and vice presidential elections. Gandhi had, on Tuesday, also met RLD chief Ajit Singh. The RLD chief had later said Mukherjee was “qualified” for the highest constitutional post and his views were “positive” on others as well.
Election Commission is expected to issue the notification for the election next week. Incumbent Pratibha Patil's term ends on July 25.