Pranab a frontrunner for President's office

New Delhi, May 17: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee appears to be the frontrunner of the UPA-Left alliance for the Presidentship in the light of his vast experience in Parliament and administration besides his impeccable secular credentials.

The External Affairs Minister, who was shortlisted by the Congress along with Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde and Dr Karan Singh, has also got support from supporting parties and some other secular elements.

Talking to UNI, Left sources confirmed that a top Left leader has conveyed to Congress chief and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi about their acceptance of Mr Mukherjee's candidature for the President post.

CPI (M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, who was reported to have conveyed the Left's choice to the Congress leadership, parried the question when contacted by UNI, but added ''everybody is acceptable to us.'' Mr Karat, who is out of station, did not deny that he had conveyed the Left's preference to Ms Gandhi.

Another top Left leader said ''The ball is now in the court of the Congress. It has been the convention that the ruling partner in the coalition comes out with the name. Let it come out with the same.'' But the consensus could of course emerge on Mr Mukherjee's name, he added.

After informal discussion by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with the Left leaders, Ms Gandhi also held one-to-one discussion with them on the subject.

Among the Left leaders with whom the UPA chairperson held talks were CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury, Forward Bloc leader and Rajya Sabha MP Debvrat Biswas.

The names of Mr Mukerjee, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Shivraj Patil and Dr Karan Singh figured prominently during the discussions.

Yesterday, the Left parties in their joint meeting at CPI(M) headquarters came up with the broad criteria, underlining some of the significant qualities for the country's highest office.

They concluded that a person contesting for the country's highest constitutional office should have the requisite political stature and background. He/she should also have experience to fulfil the responsibilities under the constitution, create a balance between executive, judiciary and legislature and have an integral knowledge for the functioning of the political system.

CPI National Secretary Shamim Faizi said, ''Now the choice has boiled down to Mr Mukherjee as he fits the criteria set up by the Left.'' Mr Faizi claimed that besides BSP supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati had also accepted the name of Mr Mukherjee.

He quoted Ms Mayawati as having said very recently that for her a ''good Brahmin'' would be acceptable.

Forward Bloc National Secretary G Devrajan said the exercise to choose the ''consensus condidate had started in all seriousness and earnestness. We have told the Congress about the criteria.. Now let the Congress react..'' He said the Left parties were not proposing any name. ''What we want to ensure that there is no division in the UPA-Left combine.'' The Left leader also ruled out the candidature of Mr Shinde, Mr Patil and Dr Karan Singh, saying they ''do not fit the criteria for the post of President even as they were good in their respective fields''.

''For the President's post one has to be a good candidate, a good communicator and a good constitution expert,'' he added.

Besides, Mr Devrajan said, the excercise would take some more time before it would be finalised in a week or so.

UNI

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