Names of over half-a-dozen prominent Congress leaders are doing the rounds as the party nominee for the presidential post at a time when UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has already initiated the consensus building exercise on it.
Besides finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, names being discussed in political circles include those of power minister Sushilkumar Shinde, Punjab governor Shivraj Patil, permanent invitee to the CWC Mohsina Kidwai and Dr Karan Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, tribal affairs and panchayati raj minister V. Kishore Chandra Deo and AICC treasurer Motilal Vora.
The Congress is relying heavily on the support of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and BSP supremo Mayawati in this election.
Mr Yadav’s reservation to any former bureaucrat occupying the highest office and Ms Banerjee’s reluctance to accept a Congress leader’s name is making the picture clearer.
Mr Mukherjee continues to be the frontrunner in this election as he is getting support from the Opposition NDA and the Left, but the Congress is maintaining silence on it. Mrs Sonia Gandhi has been comfortable with Mr Shinde (a dalit), Mr Patil (Lingayat) and Dr Karan Singh. But she is unsure of whether Ms Mayawati will back a dalit (Mr Shinde and Ms Meira Kumar).
Another issue is whether the SP, BSP, Left and the Trinamul Congress can support Dr Karan Singh.
Mr Yadav, Ms Mayawati and Ms Banerjee would find it difficult to oppose Ms Kidwai as she is a woman minority leader from the Hindi belt (UP).
Mr Kishore Chandra Deo (a tribal) and Mr Vora too are acceptable faces within the Congress and outside.
The Congress is closely watching dissension in the BJD against its supremo and Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik who has backed former Lok Sabha Speaker P.A. Sangma for the highest office. Besides him, AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa has also came out in support of Mr Sangma, a prominent tribal leader from Northeast.
Mr Sangma is said to be optimistic of getting support from the Trinamul Congress and the BJP does not want oblige the Congress if it fields someone other than Mr Mukherjee. Congress insiders, ally leaders and even Opposition leaders have no clue about the thinking of the UPA chairperson on this issue.
According to informed sources, Mrs Gandhi would also approach the BJP, Left, the Janata Dal (U) and other Opposition parties in a bid to evolve consensus on a Congress candidate. But it is not clear yet whether the Congress can proceed with a “give and take” approach by offering the vice president’s post to others.