President election likely to be a keen contest

President election likely to be a keen contest 
Four months to go, names of candidates yet to emerge

New Delhi, April 1
With the recent ganging up of regional parties on common issues, the forthcoming Presidential election appears set to go down to the wire unless the ruling UPA manages to evolve a consensus on the successor to incumbent Pratibha Patil.

A 'give and take' formula on the Vice Presidential election that follows the Presidential poll is also not ruled out if a successful consensus is evolved on the nominee who will occupy the Rashtrapati Bhavan next.

Both the Congress and the BJP and their respective alliances do not command a majority in the electoral college and have to work on getting the support of parties outside their combinations to get their candidates elected if they are keen on a contest.

The Congress has 31 per cent of the total votes against 24 per cent of the BJP in an electoral college. The UPA has a little over 40 per cent of the total votes against 57 per cent it had in the last elections. The NDA has less than 30 per cent.

Hence, the role of parties like the TMC, the SP, the AIADMK, the BSP and the BJD assumes significance in the elections over which speculation has started on the names. Last time the Left parties suggested dark horse Pratibha Patil and her sailing was smooth.

With just a little less than 4 months to go for the Presidential election, no names have emerged as a possible candidate so far. There was speculation earlier over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's name but Congress President Sonia Gandhi ruled out that possibility after the UP Assembly elections.

Another possible name is that of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee but will the Congress leadership be ready to sacrifice his services which are considered indispensable for running the coalition that is increasingly hopping from crisis to crisis?

This time the Samajwadi Party and the BSP as also the Trinamool Congress are going to call the shots. The three parties are not in a hurry to firm up their stand. Mulayam Singh Yadav's SP is euphoric after UP victory while Mamata Banerjee is a hard ally for the Congress to please either at the Centre or in West Bengal.

BJP has not been approached by the ruling alliance on the issue. Senior party leader Arun Jaitley has said sometime back that the Government should first decide its candidate and come to it for consultation. He was asked whether the BJP would help Congress in the matter.

As media reported that the Congress could be cosying up to Jayalalithaa, there was speculation that the BJP may also make attempts to woo her. Jaitley is said to have sought time for a meeting with Jayalalithaa in Chennai this week.

In such a scenario, the BJP-led NDA would insist that the Vice-Presidentship should come to it in return for support in the Presidential polls.

A Congress Chief Minister, who declined to be named, said the ruling alliance could not afford giving the Vice Presidentship to the Opposition given the fact that he is also Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

"It will be like giving the Upper House to the opposition on a platter at a time when the UPA does not have majority there," he said.

TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has kept the Congress guessing. She has sidestepped questions whether she would like the next President to be from her state.

JD-U's Shivanand Tewari said it would be best if the Congress "gives up its arrogance" and talks to all parties and unanimously decides the name of a "dignified leader" to succeed Pratibha Patil.

Reports quoting an unnamed senior UPA leader had it that Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal could be a probable candidate in the next Vice-Presidential elections. — PTI
HOW PARTIES STAND

The Congress has 31 per cent of the total votes against 24 per cent of the BJP in the electoral college. The UPA has a little over 40% of the total votes against 57% it had in the last elections. The NDA has less than 30%.

REGIONAL PARTIES HOLD KEY

Hence, the role of parties like the TMC, the SP, the AIADMK, the BSP and the BJD assumes significance in the elections over which speculation has started on the names. Last time the Left parties suggested dark horse Pratibha Patil and her sailing was smooth.

COSYING UP TO JAYA
As media reported that the Congress could be cosying up to Jayalalithaa, there was speculation that BJP may also make attempts to woo her. Arun Jaitley is said to have sought time for a meeting with Jayalalithaa in Chennai.
President election likely to be a keen contest