Presidential poll: Pranab may emerge as favourite

"If the prime minister can spare him", External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee could turn out to be the dark horse in the race to occupy Rashtrapati Bhawan.

According to top sources in the government, the external affairs minister may be the most acceptable candidate with regard to the UPA and its allies.

Sources say that the Left parties have handed over the choice of candidate for the Presidential polls, to be held in July, to the Congress and the UPA allies.

"Before the UP election results, the prime minister had a meeting with senior Left leaders. Right now, three names have been considered with varying degrees of suitability "" that of Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, who has already lost the vice presidential election once, Karan Singh, who has limited acceptability, and Pranab Mukherjee," said a source.

"The problem is that the PM may not be able to spare him. Mukherjee heads many problematic Groups of Ministers, and is also the top political manager of the government," said the source.

"The other problem is that after he finishes his term as President, would any position ever measure up in future, can he really be retired?" added the source. What is clear, however, is that the Left has asked that the vice president's post be reserved for their nominee.

"It has to be remembered though, that the real race will begin once the UP Assembly results are out and all parties are clear as to their numerical strength," said the source.

The main factor which could swing votes is that of the BSP. "If the BSP allies with the BJP then things could get really sticky for the Congress, but that is the worst case scenario for the government," said the source.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury today did not rule out the possibility of the Left parties propping their own candidate in the presidential elections, depending on the composition of the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly.

Asked whether the Left would put up a candidate, the senior Left leader said, "We will apply our mind after May 11... But it is certain that the next President has to have impeccable secular credentials."

Mukherjee is 72 and should he so desire, can look forward to several years in active politics. On the other hand, with him in the Rashtrapati Bhawan, several sets of people can espy a solution to their political problems.

The West Bengal unit of the Congress, for instance, will see the way cleared for other younger leaders. Mukherjee is a dominant force in the party in the state. He is also the Leader of the Lok Sabha "" both in theory and practice "" and a perfect foil for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's gentler brand of politics.

However, if the Congress has any fears about the 2009 general elections throwing up a hung House, with Mukherjee in the Rashtrapati Bhavan, they will need to nurse no apprehensions about getting a fair hearing.