Left pushes Sonia to change Prez choice

NEW DELHI: In a setback of sorts for Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the Left parties tonight decided to mount pressure on the Congress to stall the selection of home minister Shivraj Patil as the UPA’s candidate for the President’s post.

The leaders of Left parties, who met here on Tuesday evening to discuss the presidential polls, were of the view that the alliance should field a leader with “stature and political clout” to take on Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in the election. The meeting of the Left parties also resolved to mobilise opinion within the UPA for their stand.

“We will tell the Congress not to underestimate Mr Shekhawat and put up a strong candidate,” a senior Left leader said, and this point will be put across to Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi when he meets Left leaders here on Wednesday. This clearly indicates that the Left is still keen on their favourite, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, getting the UPA nomination.

The Left put the onus of the victory on the Congress when they insisted that the management of the election was the Congress’ responsibility. “It will be a UPA candidate and not a UPA-Left candidate who would be contesting the election,” Left leaders said. At the same time, they said that the Left will vote with the UPA.

The Left’s stand will not come as a surprise to the Congress as a senior Left leader had a fortnight ago told the Congress president that Mr Patil is just not fit for the job. “He is a lightweight candidate and the UPA should have a credible face in the polls,” he is believed to have told Ms Gandhi.

The Left’s stand has once again brought the winnability question into sharp focus. That Bhairon Singh Shekhawat spells fear among the UPA ranks was clear when the candidature of Mr Patil was floated by the Congress.

Although the numbers are loaded in the UPA’s favour, there is a lurking fear that Mr Shekhawat could upset the ruling alliance’s plans. When Bhairon Singh Shekhawat contested the vice-president’s post, he had got 57 votes from the non-NDA spectrum.

And those who cross-voted in that election were MPs, who were vulnerable to whips and loyal to the leadership. In the event of a repeat of the last vice-presidential poll, things can be really distressing for the Congress.

This was the basis of Karunanidhi’s reservations, too. As the electoral college for the President is drawn from states as well as the Centre, there would be a bigger possibility of cross-voting. At a meeting with Sharad Pawar, Mr Karunanidhi had emphasised the need for a credible face representing the UPA in the presidential election.

But with Ms Mayawati’s backing for Sonia Gandhi’s candidate, the Congress can be expected to stick to its stand. As the Left has made it clear that it will not go against the Congress’ candidate, the ruling party is hopeful that differences can be sorted out during the negotiations with the Left.