Kaun Banega Next Prez

11-20-2006, 06:13 PM

Looking at the voting college which includes all state Vidhan Sabhas apart from Lok and Rajya Sabha - I think NDA's vote will be crucial for prsident's election. Can congress+3rd front pull off on their own?

11-21-2006, 02:10 AM

<img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dry.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='dry.gif' /> If the past is any indication, most probably, it will be census candidate e.g. Som(bana Shanichar)Nath Chatterjee. Most probably, this arithmatic calculation may not even be reqd. In case of contest, Congress and commies can't pulll off on their own; 3rd front is still undefined e.g. SP of Mulayam may not like enbloc to vote with it as Congress and SP are almost at loggerheads. Shekhawat's chances of emerging as census candidate are great if Chatterjee is not in field. In case Sonia wants to be in reckoning again for Premiership, Gen Rodrigues(presently, Governor of Punjab) can be dark horse.

11-22-2006, 09:54 AM

<!--emo&

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /> u may be pleased to note that this blog is running on the front page of Times of India:
NEWS BLOGS

Angelina's mighty heart
The UN Ambassador for refugees has adopted two children from different races. Isn't that good enough to certify Angelina Jolie's non-racist credentials?
.Consumer king conned
.Who will be the next President? this 1.

04-18-2007, 06:48 AM

<!--emo&

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /> While browsing, I came across this site on US Prez:
www.u4prez.com
If u browse this site, u will find the format same as IF.
By any chance; is it an offshoot of IF?

04-20-2007, 11:03 PM

QUOTEHaze over Raisina Hill 
Pioneer.com
Kalyani Shankar
There is intense speculation over who will be the next President. Will Kalam continue in office? Or will it be someone else? A clear picture will emerge after the Uttar Pradesh poll results are out

There are two questions increasingly being asked in political circles these days. Who will rule Uttar Pradesh? And, who will be the next President? Both the questions are inter-linked to the extent that the winner - if there is one - of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election will also hold the key to the choice of the President.

Uttar Pradesh, with its 403 Assembly seats, will play a crucial role in the presidential election. In the 2002 election, while the value of an MP's vote was 708, that of a State legislator was 208. Currently, there is a gap of about 40,000 to 50,000 votes between the UPA and the NDA.

There was a surprise element in the 2002 presidential election when Mr APJ Abdul Kalam's name suddenly emerged. Before that happened, then Maharashtra Governor PC Alexander was the front-runner for the top post. The name of Mr Kalam was suggested by then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, NDA convener George Fernandes and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav after the Congress refused to support Mr Alexander's candidature. The Left parties fielded Lakshmi Saigal to contest against Mr Kalam but the latter won handsomely.

Today, at the end of his five-year tenure, Mr Kalam has proved to be a non-controversial President and is poised for a second term. Except Rajendra Prasad, no other President got a second term. Mr Kalam is not averse to continuing, but he does not want any contest.

As far as Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat is concerned, he is a serious contender for the simple reason that the Vice-President has always had an edge over other aspirants for the President's chair. Also, Mr Shekhawat has conducted himself extremely well during the past five years and enjoys the best of relations with the leaders of various political parties. This was proved in the 2002 vice-presidential election when he won by a margin of 108 votes. The NCP has already announced its support for Mr Shekhawat. The Rajput lobby may work overtime for him even if there is a contest.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's name, too, is doing the rounds in the Congress circles. He will be completing three years as the Prime Minister in May and a presidential position will ensure him another five years at the corridors of power. He would be an acceptable candidate for all sides concerned. It may also pave the way for Mr Rahul Gandhi to ascend to the post of the real highest executive.

There are at least four candidates from the east. Topping the list is Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee. He is hoping that the CPI(M) will not make a "historic blunder" the second time by not endorsing his presidential candidature. Mr Chatterjee is depending on the Left-Congress support, thanks to his good equations with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

The second in the list is Mr Pranab Mukherjee, considered no. 2 in the Union Cabinet, besides being the leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha. Mr Mukherjee has handled many portfolios, including Finance, Commerce and External Affairs. He is respected by all, including the Left parties. If Ms Gandhi decides to field him, he will have a definite edge over others.

Mr Amartya Sen, too, is believed to be in the presidential race. His name has popped up among the Leftists, although their official candidate is most likely to be Mr Somnath Chatterjee. Mr Sen is also close to Mr Manmohan Singh. The fourth name is that of West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi, whose lineage stands him in good stead. He has served as a bureaucrat, a diplomat and an administrator. His role in the recent Nandigram crisis has bolstered his image. Being the youngest presidential aspirant, his name is doing the rounds for the post of President as well as Vice-President.

Two names for the presidential post have emerged from western India, both close to Ms Gandhi. Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, who has ministerial as well as gubernatorial experience and is a Dalit face of the Congress, has already had a taste of the vice-presidential election in 2002. He is a non-controversial person and is acceptable to all, including the BSP. Congress insiders bet on him to be Ms Gandhi's choice. The second name is that of Home Minister Shivraj Patil, a confidant of Ms Gandhi. Mr Patil has a clean image and was the Speaker of Lok Sabha when Narasimha Rao was Prime Minister. A low profile leader, he is well suited to the Congress high command.

Former Union Minister Karan Singh, a well-known scholar and experienced politician, is also in the fray. The former maharaja of Kashmir is also qualified for the esteemed post, but the question is, will Ms Gandhi choose him above others?

North India has its own share of candidates. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, if he wants the job, could be a serious contender, thanks to his acceptability to both the NDA and the UPA. He is the tallest Brahmin leader in India today. He has excellent relations with Ms Sonia Gandhi as well as other Congress leaders. Then, there is former Prime Minster IK Gujral. Just as he got the Prime Minister's post earlier, will he be lucky a second time?

From the Congress side, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister ND Tiwari is eyeing the position. Mr Tiwari was the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister four times, besides handling the Finance, External Affairs, Industry and the Planning Commission at the Centre. Will he be able to convince the Congress president that he is the right choice after the party's defeat in Uttarakhand? HRD Minister Arjun Singh is another candidate with presidential ambition. Besides being the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, he had held the gubernatorial post.

There are at least two candidates from south India - both from the OBC - former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and former Karnataka Chief Minister Veerappa Moily. While Mr Deve Gowda is said to have used his backward card with the DMK and other regional parties, Mr Moily is depending on Mr Manmohan Singh's support. The latter is also liked by Ms Gandhi.

Will it be the caste or communal factor, or will it be one's personal luck that will determine the next president? There is a way out from the electoral contest. If the UPA and the NDA agree to look for a consensus candidate, there will be no election and everything will end smoothly. For that, they have to exhibit political maturity and statesmanship.

ramana · 04-20-2007, 11:34 PM

Some background is needed. Radhakrishnan the second President scolded JLN Nehru for being incredulous and gullikle when the 1962 debacle happened. This was resented by Mrs IG who was the PM at the time for his re-election. So the idea that only the first PResident deserved the second term was proposed.

I would like to see Kalam in a second term as he has the big vision. If the UPA cannot elect their own due to state election results then they might be persuaded to rally behind Kalam to avoid a contest and show divisions. UPA is not what it was in 2004. But then there is the Sonia factor.

04-23-2007, 02:06 AM

<img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/india.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='india.gif' /> Popular support for Kalam's second term 
Sunday, April 22, 2007
14:51 IST
New Delhi: Two opinion polls have suggested that President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam should get a second term in Rashtrapati Bhavan.

According to a survey conducted by NDTV Gfk-MODE, nearly 60 per cent of all MPs and legislators and 57.9 per cent of more than 300,000 people who voted online and SMS supported Kalam, whose term ends in July, for another term.

The electoral college's second choice was Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee (28.7 per cent votes), closely followed by Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat with 26.3 percent votes.

But 49.6 per cent of "people's opinion poll" said the coveted post should go to Infosys chief N.R. Narayanmurthy and 48.4 per cent wanted Nobel laureate Amartya Sen.

Among the people's votes, Shekhawat could manage just 0.7 per cent, Chatterjee 0.6 per cent while senior Congress leaders Karan Singh and A.K. Antony were supported by 0.4 per cent.

In the electoral college, Karan Singh and Antony managed 8.1 per cent and 6.2 per cent votes respectively.

The Indian president is elected by an electoral college consisting of members of both houses of parliament and of the state assemblies.

04-23-2007, 04:49 AM

QUOTE48.4 per cent wanted Nobel laureate Amartya Sen.

Do they know he is been married thrice? Now married to British woman.
If you ask same fools they may ask Bill Clinton to be India's President or Saddam Hussain.

ramana · 04-24-2007, 07:52 AM

Deccan chronicle, 24 April, 2007

QUOTESupport builds for Kalamâs second term

New Delhi, April 23: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who was not on the list of possible presidential nominees for 2007 a year ago, has made a surprising comeback with a cross-section of political parties â including the NDA, Samajwadi Party and even Lalu Prasad Yadavâs Rashtriya Janata Dal â expected to support him for a second term. The Congress Party is now resigned to the fact that it will not be able to propose a partyman (or woman) for the post and will have to find a candidate who can get more support than Dr Kalam if it wants to replace him in the elections due in June this year.

RJD leader and Union rural development minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, when contacted, said: "President Kalam is our man, he is a good man." He made it clear, however, as all other parties have said, that the process for selecting a presidential candidate will begin only after the Uttar Pradesh elections are over. The final choice of candidate should be known by the end of May or early June. The Congress, which was hoping to steer the presidential polls in favour of its candidate, has admitted unofficially that it cannot now count on the support of its UPA allies and other regional parties.

The Left parties have not decided on a candidate, but there are few takers within the CPI(M) for Samajwadi leader Amar Singhâs suggestion that Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee be a candidate for President. "There is no such move" â this was the response of leaders of both the CPI and CPI(M) when asked about this possibility. The Left is not keen at all on having a party leader sitting in Rashtrapati Bhavan, and sources in the Left said they had not even started the process of finding a suitable candidate.

The Congress, on the other hand, has a host of names in front of it: ranging from West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi to Dr Karan Singh, currently president of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, to senior party leader and Union power minister Sushilkumar Shinde.

The BJP is becoming increasingly more inclined to support Dr Kalam for a second term, although certain sections have not ruled out vice-president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as a potential candidate. However, the party is aware that it will not be able to rally support around him and that Dr Kalamâs candidature could once again cut into third front formations by getting the support of regional parties as well. Dr Kalamâs candidature in 2002 had divided the newly-formed front at the time comprising the Left parties, the Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal(S). Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav had proposed Dr Kalamâs name and had refused to change his decision at the time.

The BJP is also optimistic that the Kalam card will split the UPA, with the Dravidian parties also coming out in support of giving the President a second term. The Indian Union Muslim League had also supported Dr Kalam, who had eventually emerged as the consensus candidate. Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav, who has a good relationship with the President, had at that time described him as a âgood choiceâ, and has reportedly indicated his enthusiasm for a second term for the nuclear scientist.

Except for the Congress, which has not been particularly pleased about Dr Kalamâs tendency to go by the book on important issues, most other parties have only cemented their relations with him during his five years at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Sources said he has been extremely accessible, and rarely refuses requests by political leaders for an audience. The political consensus is that the President has conducted himself well, has kept out of irrelevant controversies, has contributed to constitutional debates, and has been an active and enthusiastic incumbent.

President Kalamâs simple style of living has endeared him to his staff, who speak highly of him given the opportunity. The only visible opposition to him comes from the Left and Congress ranks, but even the former admit that his interventions in the past five years have been very much directed by the Constitution.


So its based on UP elections.

05-06-2007, 10:43 PM

Most horrible man is a front runner, What a tragedy!!!
Somnath emerging as frontrunner for next presidentQUOTECommunist Party of India (CPI) general secretary AB Bardhan was more categorical. In an interview on TV channel CNN-IBN on Sunday, he said he would welcome Chatterjee as president, but would not propose his name for the post.

He too clarified that the Left Front would not support President APJ Abdul Kalam for a second term or Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for the post of president.

.....................

According to a CPI-M leader, the party is keen to draw the BJP into a contest - a view shared by the Congress - because "it will be a very good opportunity to see who stands where".

In the Congress, members of the core committee including party president Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh, Defence Minister AK Antony and Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel reportedly met sometime back and deliberated on this issue.

According to Congress's calculations, the UPA-Left combine has a clear lead over the NDA alliance with a surplus of 80,000 votes in the electoral college for the presidential elections, excluding the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, perceived as neutrals by the two major combines.

The prospect of approaching smaller parties outside the UPA, like former prime minister HD Deve Gowda's Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) and erstwhile UPA partner Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) to further consolidate UPA flanks, also came up during the discussions in the Congress.

05-10-2007, 08:13 PM

<img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/argue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='argue.gif' />

Congress begins to plot presidential race

Navin Upadhyay | New Delhi

Consults Left, proposes Shinde, Karan, Pranab

The Congress has floated the names of three probable candidates to succeed President APJ Abdul Kalam. Topping the list is former Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, followed by Karan Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Sources said that during his meeting with CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat and his CPI counterpart AB Bardhan last week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had placed these three names for the Left's consideration.

Sources said that the Left leaders told the PM that they would get back to him after holding discussion with other Left Front partners. However, a senior Left leader told The Pioneer that they had serious differences over Karan Singh's candidature in view of his pro-Hindutva leaning.

While the Left is yet to formalise its response, which may also include alternative suggestions, Shinde's candidature may not please the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). A protÃ©gÃ© of NCP president Sharad Pawar, Shinde is now his political rival. His candidature is being seen as an attempt by the Congress to counter Pawar's populalarity in Maharashtra.

On Pranab Mukherjee Congress leaders feel that that fact that he is placed third in the list shows that the party high command would consider him only if consensus could not be evolved on the names of Shinde and Karan Singh.

"If Sonia Gandhi was serious about Mukherjee, the Left would have little reason to reject him," said a senior Congress leader.

Sources said that Congress feel that Shinde would be the best person to hold the post of President because of his Dalit identity and vast administrative experience as Chief Minister, Governor and Union Minister.

Even though the Congress is trying to evolve a consensus on the name of a probable candidate, the party is jittery about the prospect of facing Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as the NDA candidate.

The Samajwadi Party's public declaration not to back a Congress candidate has added to the problem of the UPA. " If the SP sticks to its position, then it could be a touch and go affair," said a senior Congress leader.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) on Wednesday said it would be ideal to have a consensus secular candidate for the top post.

"Ideally, it will be good to have a consensus secular candidate... who will have impeccable secular credentials", party Polit Buro member Sitaram Yechury told reporters here.

To a specific query whether the Left was open to putting up its own candidate, he said all such questions would be answered only after May 11, when the electoral outcome in Uttar Pradesh would be known. Noting that Uttar Pradesh was a "powerful element", he said the party would see the composition of the State Assembly as the value of each vote there was 203, compared with 25 of Arunachal Pradesh.
Asked about the meeting Karat had with the Prime Minister recently, he said Singh started consultations with UPA allies and the Left parties on the Presidential elections. The party wanted the next President to be a 'distinguished' person with "impeccable secular credentials".

Yechury emphasised that the office of the President was a very important office and it had added significance in the current era of coalition.

He said the CPI(M) would apply its mind on the issue only after the UP poll result was out as it would "influence the character of the electoral college. Before that, everything can only be speculation".

05-15-2007, 12:18 AM

QUOTECong on tenterhooks, awaits Maya's response 
Yogesh Vajpeyi | New Delhi
BSP supremo may prefer a Brahmin
The Congress and the Left parties are anxiously waiting for BSP supreme Mayawati to open her cards before announcing the UPA's candidate for the presidential elections.

The initial signals from the BSP-- indicating that she would prefer the next President to be a Brahmin-- have forced the Congress to review its wish list. <!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />

If Uttar Pradesh's Dalit Chief Minister makes this a pre-condition for her support, the Congress might agree to drop Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, who was emerging as front runner, and opt for External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, sources said.

The name of former Uttarakhand Chief Minister ND Tewari has also entered the list of probable candidates "This might fall in line with Mayawati's new love for Brahmins," Â <!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /> said a senior AICC functionary.

The party had floated the names of Shinde Mukherjee and Rajya Sabha member Karan Singh during the discussions the Left leaders had with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last week.

The Congress, which has the primary responsibility for forging a consensus within the UPA and its supporters on the presidential nominee, has begun the process of consultations, mostly at an informal level. As the party is keen to have its own nominee as the next President, it has to find a candidate who will be acceptable to the UPA partners, the Left and the BSP.

After the first round of discussions with the Congress top brass, the Left parties are meeting on Wednesday to evolve a common approach. After this they are scheduled to have another round with the Congress leaders

Though the Left parties are unlikely to push for having a nominee from their ranks, they have already indicated the attributes they were looking for in the prospective candidate.

After his meeting with Sonia Gandhi on Saturday CPM leader Sitaram Yechury had made it clear that the candidate should be a secular personality with thorough knowledge of the working of the Constitution and should be able to garner the maximum support. The Left parties have also indicated their preference for a political person for the top post.

Congress sources said it was only after a consensus with the Left parties that a meeting of other UPA constituents would be formally called.

Reports that the NDA planned to field Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat has caused some anxiety in the Congress circles. "We will have to take ensure that there is no cross voting from within our camp as the Vice-President has a fan following cutting across party lines," admitted a Congress leader.Â <!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />

05-15-2007, 12:22 AM

QUOTEShekhawat emerges as non-Cong choiceÂ 
Pioneer.com
Rajeev Ranjan Roy | New Delhi
BJP says contest imminent, mobilisation begins
The battle for Raisina Hills appears to be developing into a keen contest, with the BJP leadership seriously considering pitching Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as a candidate backed by the NDA and the non-UPA parties.

After preliminary consultations with NDA allies as well as other 'friends', the senior BJP leaders have conveyed the alliance's move to field him to take on the UPA nominee for the next President.Â

Sources said the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha LK Advani and his counterpart in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh have already conveyed to Shekhawat the 'consensus desire' of the NDA constituents that he should contest the Presidential poll.

The NDA's election strategy was discussed by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Advani and BJP chief Rajnath Singh. JD(U)'s Digvijay Singh, a former Union Minister and the sitting Rajya Sabha member from Bihar, is already in touch with the non-UPA and non-NDA parties as well as some constituents of the UPA to solicit support for Shekhawat.

As Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Shekhawat enjoys the support of several leaders across the political parties, which qualify him to be a formidable claimant to the country's coveted post. According to BJP sources, the NDA leaders have unanimously approved of his candidature and a formal announcement would be made soon.

The NDA strategists feel that personal charm and appeal of Shekhawat would earn him votes from across the parties.

In the existing presidential electoral college, the NDA's actual vote count stands at 3.52 lakh and that of the UPA at 4.40 lakh. The rest of the votes belong to the Third Front parties like the Telugu Desam Party, Asom Gana Parishad and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti.

"Since these parties would not like to be seen as joining hands with the Congress, they would certainly find a better choice in Shekhawat, whose track record as the chairman of the Upper House is so excellent," a senior BJP functionary said.

As there is provision of secret voting in the presidential election, the NDA strategists are also banking on cross-voting in favour of Shekhawat by some constituents of the UPA, including the Congress. Sources said that he himself was in touch with the NDA leaders and 'others' as well to ensure his smooth entry into the Raisina Hills.

As things stand, if the Third Front allies vote for Shekhawat, the fight for India's top post would become a close contest between the UPA and the NDA. A lot would also depend on the move of BSP president Mayawati, who has not yet opened her presidential cards.

At the moment, the experts feel that she would finally go for the Congress nominee if her choice is taken care of, but such a move would make the SP vote for Shekhawat. "It holds water in the case of many other parties," an NDA leader said.

According to him, the formal announcement of Shekhawat's candidature would be made by next week after the Core Group of the BJP meets. "The Core Group meeting would be preceded by an NDA meeting to formally choose him as our candidate," he said

05-16-2007, 08:02 PM

UP elections seems to have an impact:
Sonia to broach President issue with new CM
QUOTEThe BSPâs spectacular victory in Uttar Pradesh has narrowed the race for the presidential polls, putting the focus on a consensus candidate from the UPA who has the support of the non-NDA, non-UPA parties like the BSP and the Samajwadi Party. The moot question is: which way will Mayawati go. 
QUOTEThe one man who looks like pulling away from the others is Pranab Mukherjee, the External Affairs Minister and the No.2 in the Union Cabinet. If the Left parties are to have a say, and they are so far the most active in consultations with the UPA on the issue, he could be the most acceptable from among the list of possible UPA candidates. The others in the race are Sushil Kumar Shinde and Karan Singh. Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee is a dark horse who could enter the fray in the event of a tie.


Meanwhile, Mamta propose Vajpayee as President
10 Janpath marg will freeze over before ABV becomes President.
Same if Amitabh Bacchan is in running (given Mulayam/Amar Singh's recent performance, it's a dead issue I guess)

05-16-2007, 09:06 PM

QUOTECong using case to tame UP CM 
Pioneer.com
Akhilesh Suman | New Delhi
With all eyes on the Bahujan Samaj Party's decision on presidential poll, the Samajwadi Party has accused the Congress of using the Taj Corridor case to pressurise BSP supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati.

"Mayawati may have to support the Congress presidential candidate with the sword of Taj Corridor hanging over her head," SP general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Shahid Siddiqui told mediapersons in Parliament.

"She would succumb to the pressure of the Congress," he added. 

The SP allegation has come at a time when the Congress has started informal parleys with the BSP supremo for gaining support in its bid for the post of President.

Interestingly, two days before the UP poll results, Mulayam Singh Yadav had forwarded the sanction request to the Governor that has given the Congress a weapon to bargain with the BSP leader.

This seems a calculated SP tactics to embarrass both the Congress and the BSP, in case an agreement is reached between the two parties for a truce instead of confrontation.

"This may also be a provocation by the SP to the BSP who is still in a victor's mood after the party had got the clear majority in the most populous State," an observer said.

In a way, the Congress could play a key role in the Taj Coridoor case as the CBI's request for prosecution of Mayawati is pending with Governnr T Rajeshwar Rao.

On the other hand, Mayawati's support would be crucial for the UPA because the Samajwadi Party has already gone on record that it will not back a Congress nominee to succeed APJ Abdul Kalam.

"We are in touch with Mayawati," Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi told mediapersons when asked about the Congress preparation for the post of the first citizen.

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav is already in Delhi to consult other parties on this crucial battle. There are all indications that the Left parties are not going to push their own candidate.

"The Congress will not bail out Mayawati on Taj Corridor case," CNN-IBN quoted Congress leader Ambika Soni.

05-21-2007, 06:00 AM

<img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/india.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='india.gif' /> India Inc's Ratans for President Anyone?
TEAM ET

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ MONDAY, MAY 21, 2007 01:00:26 AM]

Itâs the best address in town. Imagine a grand 200,000 sq ft perch in the heart of Lutyensâ Delhi; a 340-room heritage home set in a 350-acre estate. Not to mention the majestic Mughal Gardens, spread over 4 acres, as your own, mostly private, flower patch. The valuation is mind-boggling too-Rs 800 crore just for the built-up space and at least another Rs 5,000 crore for the grounds.

Yet Rashtrapati Bhawan hasnât had much variety in its post-Independence residents. So far its chief occupants have been the odd academic or career diplomat and an overwhelming number of politicos.

Of course the current First Citizen has bucked that trend partly thanks to his stature as a top scientist and partly due to his rather unconventional personal style â locks, stock and all.

But itâs about time that Indiaâs most prized corner-room had a change of profile. So, who should be the next President of India? Someone whose track-record reflects the can-do spirit of bluechip Bharat. Someone whose vision has helped achieve the impossible.

Someone who is an icon of new-age India. And someone who wonât be spooked by the Rs 35-crore monthly home maintenance bill. If you ask us, who wants Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Somnath Chatterjee, Karan Singh and Pranab Mukherjee? Not our readers, surely.

ET has come up with a roster of boardroom brahmins who we see as potential Raisina Hill residents. Each one of our candidates combines gumption with grace, acumen with attitude and charisma with character. Of course a monthly pay cheque of Rs 50,000 and an S-Class stretch limo isnât much by way of perks. Even if you throw in two dozen thoroughbreds and some spit-and-polish aide-de-camps.

Take Tata group big kahuna Ratan Tata. Having earned his spurs at the helm of a business empire as diverse as India itself, 68-year-old Mr Tata is an expert at handling complexities.

If he can manage the click-and-portal TCS and the brick-and-mortar Tata Steel, he should be able to bridge the gap between Bharat and India with his vision.

His experience with the tribe of Tata satraps should help him handle anything the politicians serve up. And a no-nonsense attitude means our netas will have to think twice before taking him for a mere figurehead.

But if Rashtrapati Bhawan is looking for someone to sell the India story, thereâs no one better than ICICI bank CEO Kundapur Vaman Kamath. A midnightâs child, he is as old as the Indian republic. His success at ICICI proves his ability to look into the future, take big bets and nudge his organisation in the right direction. The original big picture guy, he believes in fast-track growth rather than taking things easy.

Continued...1|2|3|Next >>

05-24-2007, 06:21 AM

Shekhawat is NDA's choice for Prez 

Capt Manmohan Kumar,
God is listening you. now we need lot of prayers.

ramana · 05-24-2007, 08:58 PM

Deccan Chronicle, 23 May 2007
QUOTEA Suitable President
By Ram Jethmalani 

Within the next couple of months the nation will proceed to elect the successor of President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. The sophisticated gentleman that he is, he never canvassed for a second term and unwittingly offended the Left by recommending the installation of two-party democracy in this country.

The coming election raises issues which have been superficially noticed in earlier elections but never seriously addressed by any political party. There is a remote chance we will come up with the right answers this time.

The President may not be the arbiter or final interpreter of the Constitution, but he certainly is a guardian of its spirit and preserver of its unwritten conventions and over-laid traditions. 

During the interregnum between the defeat of a government and the installation of a new one, his powers get enlarged to the limits of his statesmanship and the confidence reposed in him by the political sovereign, namely the people of India. His legal powers may not be wide, but his real power rests on his moral stature and the public esteem he enjoys. With a simple nod of disapproval he should be able to bring back a derailed Council of Ministers to the path of rectitude and propriety.

The Constitution did not leave the choice of the President to the majority of members of the Lok Sabha, but to a majority of both Houses and all legislatures in India. The Constitution intended that the President should be the choice of the whole nation and the visible embodiment of its sovereignty.

The Constitution requires a secret ballot for the presidential poll. This ensures perfect freedom of choice which nobody can investigate or question. It certainly excludes the issue of a whip by political parties. The late Mrs Indira Gandhi set up a valuable precedent when President V.V. Giri was elected defeating the partyâs nominee. Leaders of political parties are conducting meetings to find a suitable President. Though this is not an ideal method, yet one cannot cavil at it in a party ridden democracy. One can only hope that they are looking for someone who will bring honour and dignity to the nation.

The first two Presidents, Dr Rajendra Prasad and Dr Radhakrishnan provided clues to presidential qualifications and credentials. The former had been a valiant upholder of Constitutional values, possessed sterling character and towering stature. He was neither politically nor intellectually inferior to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, one of the best PMs that India has produced.

The latter possessed considerable academic and spiritual achievements. The great historian Arnold Toynbee said this about him: "I admire and love the philosopher Dr Radhakrishnan and am delighted to see even the weight of the presidency cannot overwhelm him."

After Indiaâs Chinese debacle and the resignation of Krishna Menon, he took matters in his own hands, and virtually directed foreign policy, advised generals in command, visited forward areas and publicly acknowledged the governmentâs credulity and negligence. Pandit Nehru acquiesced in his dazzling role.

This however does not exhaust our expectations of a President. Those who have taken upon themselves the task of identifying the next President, should have before them an inventory of the major problems that the nation faces. They should next find out whether the potential President has thought about these problems and shared his views and solutions with the people. Moreover, does his public performance lend credence to his pronouncements?

The first and foremost problem that faces us is grinding poverty. Despite government statistics I believe that half the nation lives below the poverty line. Free market economics of the early Nineties may have raised the GDP growth to nine per cent per annum, but the newly created wealth has not gone to the starving millions. 

It has not created any insurance against natural disasters and malnutrition-induced diseases and disorders. It has not provided a civilised shelter to the millions who sleep on footpaths and eke out a miserable existence in filthy slums.

It is relevant to enquire whether the aspiring denizen of the Rashtrapati Bhavan has seriously thought of this miserable sector and designed some way of escape for them. Has he ever thought of ways to distribute wealth fairly, control population, eliminate wars, violence and terrorism?

The Constitution proclaims that all citizens irrespective of religion, caste, place of birth, residence are entitled to equality before the law. It recognises at the same time that treating un-equals equally is to practice and perpetuate inequality. It, therefore, took special notice of the majority of our citizens who for centuries had been humiliated, and discriminated against. They are the backward classes including of course the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.

Has the aspirant ever concerned himself about their fate? What compensation does he have in mind for them? Where has he stood on the issue of imperative measures to raise them to a level from which they can compete on equal terms with the rest of their fellow beings?

Where did he stand when the enforcement of the Mandal report was being vehemently opposed and debated before the Supreme Court? Did he protest when the Central government decided officially that Mandal would not be enforced in the matter of recruitment for employment under it?

Lastly, where does he stand on the current governmentâs move to give OBCs a slot in our institutions of higher education?

Godhra and its tragic aftermath require another overriding qualification from the aspiring President. Did he condemn the guilty or did he indulge in obfuscations and excuses? The national psyche suffered dangerous wounds. Did the aspirant apply soothing honey or did he use this tragedy to derive cheap electoral benefits?

The President must be a person who owes no loyalty to any political party, who is able to rise above party politics and dispassionately diagnose the disease of the body politic and prescribe the necessary balm. His personality and antecedents must assure completely of his integrity and impartiality and total commitment to national integration. Threatened minorities, unless assured total security and a fair share of the national cake, are bound to turn to violence and even acts of treason.

Those who wish to influence the selection of the next President must examine the record of every candidate and determine where he stood in moments of crisis. Did he sit on the fence or did he forthrightly declare his allegiance? We are woefully short of energy. Our coal is of poor quality and the shortage of energy cannot be made good by using coal as a raw material. The government has decided to use nuclear energy to overcome this shortfall, for which we require nuclear fuel.

We have entered into a new relationship with the United States which will release us from commercial boycott by those who alone can sell the fuel to us. The nuclear deal is the only salvation for the nation, though we will have to pay some price for it. The aspirant must be able to tell us whether he supports the nuclear deal or whether he thinks that the deal is an imperial conspiracy to deprive us of our sovereignty, and our government is bent on a sell-out.

05-28-2007, 10:04 PM

The Final Vote - IBN-CNN
link
A P J Abdul Kalam 146749votes (43.05%)
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat 100712 votes (29.55%)

N R Narayana Murthy 63571 votes (18.65%)
Somnath Chatterjee 11328 votes (3.32%)
Sushil Kumar Shinde 7122 votes (2.09%)
Amitabh Bachchan 4925 votes (1.45%)
Pranab Mukherjee 4490 votes (1.32%)
Karan Singh 1955 votes (0.57%)

I fully agree, Karan Singh in bottom, I am suprised, Somnath was able to get 11328 votes, He is better with Karan along with Pranab.
Top two are good choice.

I voted couple of times <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='laugh.gif' />

05-30-2007, 01:14 AM

How one state political party can destroy whole country?
AIIDMK and DMK just know how to blackmail and their behaviors are like pampered kid who fails to grow up.
QUOTEAllies now ask for Vice-Prez's postÂ 
Pioneer.com
Santanu Banerjee | New Delhi
New twist puts Congress in a fix
A day after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi's extensive discussions with Left leaders, the Comrades have conveyed to the Congress leadership that it cannot lay claim to posts of both President and Vice-President.

The development has come amid reports that the DMK chief was pressing for the post of Vice-President for his party. Though the DMK officially denied making such a demand when the report first surfaced, the new twist in the presidential politicking could pitch the Congress against the allies.

Sources said the issue of VP's post cropped up during Karunanidhi's meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi and later in his parleys with CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat and his CPI counterpart AB Bardhan.

Left sources said the decision to claim the Vice-President's post for the allies was finalised during Karunanidhi's discussions with the Left leaders and both the Left and the DMK agreed to pursue this line in tandem.

"The Congress has been categorically conveyed that it cannot have its candidates for both the posts of President and the Vice-President," said a senior Left leader.

Even as the Congress continued to keep everyone guessing about its presidential nominee, the Left and the DMK have asked it to finalise the name before June 6 when the Congress, major UPA allies including the DMK, and the Left leaders will meet in Delhi to resolve the ticklish issue.

Left sources said that a decision of holding talks among major allies was taken on Monday during discussions with the Left leaders and Karunanidhi.

"There are several candidates from UPA allies who can vie for the post of Vice-President,'' a senior Left leader told The Pioneer.

At the same time, the Left-DMK demand could also add new dimension to the presidential race. There was no guarantee that all the UPA allies will be keen to endorse a Left-UPA nominee as Vice-President. "What if BSP chief Mayawati also raises a similar demand?" quipped a senior UPA leader.

The Left-DMK collaboration could create new headache for the Congress, which has maintained that choosing the presidential nominee was its sole prerogative.

"The issue was not limited to the Congress giving up the post of Vice-President but also agreeing to send a man to Rashtrapati Bhavan who meets the criteria set by the Left parties," said a Left leader. The DMK has already supported the Left's three-point criteria.

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