Left eyes vice-president's post

New Delhi: Indian Marxists are eyeing the vice-president's post due to fall vacant in August this year.

Their decision to extend support to the ruling Congress party nominee for next month's Presidential election is part of a barter they intend to make to get one of their choice become the vice-president.

The Left that sustains the Congress-led alliance government with its crucial outside support had earlier floated the name of the incumbent Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee as presidential candidate but opted out in favour of the Congress party.

Senior Left Front leaders have said that the Congress party should not think too much about the nominee for the vice-president's post insisting they will have the final say in the matter. Incidentally, the Left has already got the ruling alliance to help Chatterjee become the first Marxist Speaker of the Lok Sabha in 2004. If the Congress party agrees, India may soon get its first Marxist vice-president.

The Left front leaders have already stated that they would name the vice presidential candidate, who would either be a Leftist or someone with Left-orientation.

Independent

Incumbent Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat is due to demit office on August 19. The post may fall vacant even next month in case Shekhawat succeeds in his bid to get elected as President. He would contest as an opposition-backed independent candidate.

The Left's claim over the vice-president's post comes just days ahead of crucial final round meetings to finalise the ruling alliance's nominee for the presidential election, set to begin here today.

Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi and the Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Prakash Karat are slated to return from their foreign trips today.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, whose Bahujan Samaj Party's support alone can ensure the victory of the ruling coalition's nominee, is also arriving in the national capital today.

The Congress party on its own had started testing the waters by floating the name of its working committee member Mohsina Kidwai for the next vice-president.

The Left is not willing to stop at sealing the deal during the upcoming confabulations by finalising the barter. While supporting the Congress nominee, it has suggestions about who he should be as well.

The Left leaders told veteran Congress leader Dr Karan Singh on Wednesday that they cannot support him due to his image of a pro-Hindu leader and his royal lineage.

Choice

That has narrowed down the choice between Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister Shivraj Patil, as Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's name did not find favour with Mayawati.

While the Congress is inclined to nominate Patil, the Left thinks Mukherjee is the right candidate to take on Shekhawat who is termed a formidable candidate, capable of making inroads into the votes of Congress allies.

Members of the electoral college (all elected MPs and members of state legislative assemblies) are not bound by any party whip during presidential poll and can indulge in cross voting.