Congress allies eye V-P’s post

The wrangling for vice-president’s post has already begun. The components of the UPA, which backed the Congress’ nominee for the post of President, have told the party leadership that the vice-president’s post should be given to an alliance partner.

The demand was placed before the Congress leadership soon after an agreement was reached on Pratibha Patil’s candidature for President. CPM leaders told Congress managers that their party should not stake a claim for the post.

The Congress had offered the post to the NDA a fortnight ago when former principal secretary to the then prime minister, Brajesh Mishra, met party leader Ahmed Patel as part of the Opposition consensus building exercise on Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat’s behalf.

The Congress leadership, which refused backing for Mr Shekhawat’s candidature, was willing to offer him another term as the vice-president. This was not acceptable to the NDA.

During negotiations with allies on the presidential nominee, the Congress aos attempted to send out the signal that it was keen on keeping the vice-president’s post with itself. It even floated the name of Mohsina Kidwai as a probable candidate for the coveted post.

With allies making it clear to the Congress that it cannot grab both the posts, the party now will be confronted with demands from various quarters. As of now, no political party has publicly staked a claim for the post. The Left is certain to make efforts to make a “Left-compatible” leader the next vice-president.

As it is not yet ready to lay claim to the post — it will require the party to rewrite its stand on being part of the ruling establishment at the Centre — the Left has always seized opportunities to get friendly leaders into key posts.