Discussions on the possible candidates for the next Presidential elections got a fillip here on Thursday. The West Bengal Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, met a host of political leaders, including Congress President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, on the issue.

She also met Samajwadi Party chief, Mr Mualayam Singh Yadav, and said any decision on the next President would be taken together. Ms Banerjee is also learnt to have met the Odisha Chief Minister, Mr Naveen Patnaik.

“The Congress is waiting to get the Finance Bill passed in the Lok Sabha to make their first move. Non-Congress, non-BJP parties are also holding discussions among themselves,” a politician aware of the discussions, said.

Consensus candidate

Sources indicated Ms Banerjee may meet Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms J. Jayalalithaa, and Bihar Chief Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, in a day or two. The Chief Ministers will be in New Delhi to participate in a meeting on the National Counter Terrorism Centre on Saturday.

Ms Banerjee, who held discussions for about an hour with Mr Yadav, later told reporters that she preferred a consensus candidate.

The BJP, however, was on the back-foot after Opposition leader, Ms Sushma Swaraj's comments that the Vice-President, Mr Hamid Ansari, does not have the “stature” to become President. Sources in the Congress said Mr Ansari was the party's “preferred” candidate.

The Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee's name also gained support with the Left parties and JD(U) indicating they had no problem with his or Mr Ansari's name.

“As far as Mr Ansari is concerned, the Left had proposed his name for Vice-Presidentship last time. As far as Mr Mukherjee is concerned, the name was doing rounds last time also and we said we have no objection,” CPI(M) leader, Mr Sitaram Yechury, said.

> jigeesh.am@thehindu.co.in

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