momentum today with major UPA constituent Trinamool Congress holding discussions with Congress amidst indications that the party like some other parties may have no problem with the candidature of Hamid Ansari or Pranab Mukherjee.
The BJP's call for a contest and its opposition to Mukherjee and Ansari found no takers with the Left parties and JD(U), an important constituent of the opposition NDA formation, making it clear that they would not mind backing any of these candidates and that they were keen on a consensus.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi held discussions on the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Parliament House this morning in which Mukherjee also joined.
Asked about "confusion" over names of Presidential candidates, Gandhi told reporters, "there is no confusion. Be patient, still there is time."
Gandhi also met Trinamool Congress chief Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and discussed the issue.
The day also saw some drama when Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury appeared to suggest that Mukherjee was too "valued" to the party and the government to be spared for the President's post.
This prompted Banerjee to remark that Congress has announced that Mukherjee is not its candidate.
However, the Congress clarified that no name has been finalised and Mukherjee is not ruled out of the race though he is important for the party, government and the country.
SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, whom Banerjee met, broke his silence saying the Presidential candidate should be "political". MORE PTI AMR ARU AJD ARC AD ADS SJY VSC
