President of India Pratibha Patil’s term is coming to an end and the country will elect its 16th president in July this year. The million dollar question is who will emerge as a strong contender to the 340-bedroom Rashrapati Bhavan.
A likely candidate, who is acceptable to parties across the divide, is Hamid Ansari, Chairman of Rajya Sabha and the Vice-President. He is widely regarded as non-partisan and his minority status is a plus. However, the ruling Congress is said to be not very comfortable with his independent nature.
Pranab Mukhejee, the grand old man of Congress, is a name that no one can take lightly. Rashtrapati Bhavan could be a fitting finale to a distinguished career in Parliament. His name cropped up even in 2007. But whether Sonia Gandhi would let go of Pranab Da at a time when the party is is doldrums across the country is another big question mark.
Sam Pitroda, Advisor to PM on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovation, is another name that is doing the rounds. Pitroda is close to the Gandhi family, starting from the days of Rajiv Gandhi. He has now been part of the team that Rahul Gandhi relies on for various inputs.
Another strong contender is Meira Kumar, the Lok Sabha Speaker. She is regarded as a loyal Congress person and her track record in her current position too has only added to her qualifications.
Shivraj Patil is another choice for Congress, though the allies and the opposition are likely to oppose his candidature.
