New Delhi: Has the Congress started a campaign to win the President’s post for its candidate?
While sources tell CNN-IBN that the Prime Minister has proposed the names of three Congress leaders to its allies, the CPM and the CPI, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Thursday termed these reports as "speculative" and "premature".
The PMO has completely denied floating specific names for the President's post.
"The Prime Minister has had some preliminary and exploratory discussions on this matter with some political leaders. News reports mentioning specific names are speculative and premature," PM's media adviser Sanjaya Baru was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.
He added that various political parties were consulting each other in this regard.
The PMO clarification comes after reports that the names of senior Congress leaders - External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and veteran Congress leader Karan Singh - are doing rounds in political circles as possible candidates for the next President.
Mukherjee has a parliamentary career of nearly four decades, has handled several ministries and is respected for his experience. But other parties may seem him as too political, shrewd and too much of a Congressman.
Sushil Kumar Shinde was the first Dalit chief minister of Maharashtra and was the Governor of Andhra Pradesh. The Congress’ allies though may doubt whether he has the stature required for the President’s post and the Maratha lobby could go against him.
Karan Singh has handled ministries and was India’s ambassador to the US, he is an intellectual, belongs to the Kashmir royal family and is widely respected. But politically he is on the sidelines.
The President will be elected in July but competition for the post will pick up after May 11 when results of the Uttar Pradesh elections will be out. A UP legislator’s vote in the collegiate that elects the President has a value of 203 marks.
Manmohan Singh held consultations with CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat and is believed to have talked to some other Left leaders while UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi is expected to hold parleys in the coming days.
The race for the top post is expected to warm up after Friday's results of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, making known the composition in the 403-member House which has a sizeable vote share in the college that elects the President.
The CPI(M) has made it known that it would be ideal to have a consensual secular candidate for the top post.
The Opposition NDA is also keeping cards close to its chest amid hints that incumbent A P J Abdul Kalam was their hot favourite if he is ready to contest.
Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, a former top BJP leader, has also given hints that he was an aspirant of Raisina Hill and could fight for it as he has "friends" in all parties.
There is media speculation that Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee is also in the race.
(With inputs from PTI)
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