06-15-2007, 09:09 PM
From Deccan Chronicel, 16 June 2007. <!--emo&
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New Delhi, June 15: Congress heavyweights in the race for the presidency failed to impress the Left parties and their own party high command during the exercise to evolve a consensus. This ultimately helped Ms Pratibha Patil, who was nowhere in the race till Thursday.
While Congress chief Sonia Gandhiâs refusal to relieve party heavyweight <b>Pranab Mukherjee</b> from his duties as external affairs minister and other party responsibilities was the official reason for him not being considered, <b>the real reason is that Mrs Gandhi does not trust Mr Pranab Mukherjee. The same is the case with Mr Arjun Singh, the Union HRD minister</b>, who also lacked support in his party because of his age and other factors, like the OBC quota controversy, though the Left had a soft corner for the HRD minister.
<b>The other names that were discussed and dropped </b>were those of Union home minister Shivraj Patil, Congress Working Committee member Mohsina Kidwai, Union power minister Sushilkumar Shinde, Dr Karan Singh, veteran leader N.D. Tiwari, AICC treasurer Motilal Vora, senior dalit leader and Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha G. Venkatswamy, party in-charge for Tamil Nadu and Kerala Veerappa Moily, Madhya Pradesh governor Balram Jakhar, All-India Congress Committee general secretary Margaret Alva and Union social justice and empowerment minister Meira Kumar.
Among the women leaders, sources said the names of Ms Mohsina Kidwai, Ms Margaret Alva, Ms Meira Kumar and Ms Nirmala Deshpande were discussed at Thursdayâs consultations at the Prime Ministerâs residence here, but <b>Ms Pratibha Patil was preferred by the Left without a murmur, and also by the Congress.</b>
The Marxistsâ opposition to Mr Shivraj Patil further delayed the process. <b>The Left opposed Mr Patil on the grounds that he would not have made a good candidate while Mr Sushilkumar Shindeâs candidature was opposed as unacceptable by BSP chief Mayawati.</b>
<b>Dr Karan Singhâs royal lineage went against him and his association with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad weakened his case with the Left.</b> Though Dr Karan Singh denied any association with the VHP, it was not enough to convince the Marxists. It was earlier thought within the Congress that Ms Mayawati would prefer a brahmin from the north, especially Mr N.D. Tiwari or Mr Motilal Vora, but their names were non-starters.
As far as Mr G. Venkatswamy and Mr Balram Jakhar were concerned, no one within the Congress took their claims seriously.<b> Mr Shinde was already a dalit face so Mr Venkatswamyâs status as a senior dalit leader was already covered by Mr Shinde. Mr Veerappa Moily was earlier considered for the post of vice-president but later a section of the Congress felt the Left would back the former Karnataka chief minister and OBC leader for President.</b> However, by that time the Congress had played the "woman card" to evolve a consensus without further delay. Barring Mr Jakhar, <b>the rest of them have been playing important roles in the government, and in the party, but neither their performance nor standing in public life could influence those who mattered.</b>
While the Congress played every cards to make its nominee acceptable, <b>the Left had laid down criteria to stop "loyalists" from going to Rashtrapati Bhavan during the two-week exercise. </b>
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--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Heavyweights were Left out
Â
New Delhi, June 15: Congress heavyweights in the race for the presidency failed to impress the Left parties and their own party high command during the exercise to evolve a consensus. This ultimately helped Ms Pratibha Patil, who was nowhere in the race till Thursday.
While Congress chief Sonia Gandhiâs refusal to relieve party heavyweight <b>Pranab Mukherjee</b> from his duties as external affairs minister and other party responsibilities was the official reason for him not being considered, <b>the real reason is that Mrs Gandhi does not trust Mr Pranab Mukherjee. The same is the case with Mr Arjun Singh, the Union HRD minister</b>, who also lacked support in his party because of his age and other factors, like the OBC quota controversy, though the Left had a soft corner for the HRD minister.
<b>The other names that were discussed and dropped </b>were those of Union home minister Shivraj Patil, Congress Working Committee member Mohsina Kidwai, Union power minister Sushilkumar Shinde, Dr Karan Singh, veteran leader N.D. Tiwari, AICC treasurer Motilal Vora, senior dalit leader and Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha G. Venkatswamy, party in-charge for Tamil Nadu and Kerala Veerappa Moily, Madhya Pradesh governor Balram Jakhar, All-India Congress Committee general secretary Margaret Alva and Union social justice and empowerment minister Meira Kumar.
Among the women leaders, sources said the names of Ms Mohsina Kidwai, Ms Margaret Alva, Ms Meira Kumar and Ms Nirmala Deshpande were discussed at Thursdayâs consultations at the Prime Ministerâs residence here, but <b>Ms Pratibha Patil was preferred by the Left without a murmur, and also by the Congress.</b>
The Marxistsâ opposition to Mr Shivraj Patil further delayed the process. <b>The Left opposed Mr Patil on the grounds that he would not have made a good candidate while Mr Sushilkumar Shindeâs candidature was opposed as unacceptable by BSP chief Mayawati.</b>
<b>Dr Karan Singhâs royal lineage went against him and his association with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad weakened his case with the Left.</b> Though Dr Karan Singh denied any association with the VHP, it was not enough to convince the Marxists. It was earlier thought within the Congress that Ms Mayawati would prefer a brahmin from the north, especially Mr N.D. Tiwari or Mr Motilal Vora, but their names were non-starters.
As far as Mr G. Venkatswamy and Mr Balram Jakhar were concerned, no one within the Congress took their claims seriously.<b> Mr Shinde was already a dalit face so Mr Venkatswamyâs status as a senior dalit leader was already covered by Mr Shinde. Mr Veerappa Moily was earlier considered for the post of vice-president but later a section of the Congress felt the Left would back the former Karnataka chief minister and OBC leader for President.</b> However, by that time the Congress had played the "woman card" to evolve a consensus without further delay. Barring Mr Jakhar, <b>the rest of them have been playing important roles in the government, and in the party, but neither their performance nor standing in public life could influence those who mattered.</b>
While the Congress played every cards to make its nominee acceptable, <b>the Left had laid down criteria to stop "loyalists" from going to Rashtrapati Bhavan during the two-week exercise. </b>
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