Ansari or Pranab: Cong wrestles with convention

Congress camp has boiled down to whether to go by convention or take a political decision.

Days before the presidential election is notified,the dilemma in the Congress camp has boiled down to whether to go by convention or take a political decision. Even as the name of Pranab Mukherjee gathers momentum,partymen have raised the fact that the convention in the Congress has been to nominate the vice-president for the post if he had been a party candidate.

Only once in Congress history has it not nominated the person who was its vice-president candidate. That was G S Pathak,elected vice-president in 1969 and overlooked for president in 1974. However,the reason for that was the split in the Congress. By the time the presidential polls came around,Indira Gandhi was firmly ensconced and opted for loyalist Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed over Pathak,who had got the job with the backing of the Congress Syndicate.

Only four other vice-presidents have not made it to the high office B D Jatti Congress,M Hidayatullah Janata Party,Krishan Kant Janata Dal-led United Front,and Bhairon Singh Shekhawat BJP. However,again,in each case,they were denied the opportunity because of a change of regime.

All this is weighing heavily on the Congress mind even as the party realises it is facing a difficult task in denying Mukherjee the chance to contest. The Congress Working Committee had left the decision to president Sonia Gandhi. On Friday evening,10 Janpath confidant Ahmed Patel met Mukherjee.

The chances of current vice-president Hamid Ansari are believed to have taken a blow after Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav lashed out against naukarshahs bureaucrats constantly making it to top positions. But barely days later,other party leaders confided that the SP had not yet firmed up its position.

The discussion with allies has so far only revolved around the names of Mukherjee and Ansari. Interestingly,in the discussion with NCP supremo Sharad Pawar who spoke glowingly of Mukherjee,Sonia had made it a point to make a passing mention of Ansari.

While political circles still put Mukherjee as the front runner,the emphasis on convention is beginning to surface,confided a leader after a meeting of the extended CWC on Monday.

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While the Congress believes both Mukherjee and Ansari are winnable candidates,it is apprehensive of the BJP triggering cross-voting to embarrass it,especially if there is a rival nominee such as P A Sangma.