UPA has better chance of winning Presidential poll: Analysis

NEW DELHI: Congress-led UPA has a better chance of winning the 2012 Presidential election if it fields a candidate "more acceptable" and beyond party line, but regional parties like the SP, AIADMK and BSP would play an important role, an analysis by a think-tank says.

An analysis by the Centre for Media Studies says no national party can get its nominee elected in July elections without the support of regional parties which account for a quarter of nearly 11 lakh electorate.

It says the UPA has not got the numbers on its own to get its candidate elected, but it has a better chance to mobilise support by having a "more acceptable and much beyond party line candidate."

UPA has only a little over 40 per cent of total votes against 57 per cent it had in the 2007 Presidential polls, the analysis said, adding that Congress has 31 per cent of total votes against 24 per cent of the BJP.

The electorate for this year's Presidential polls is expected to be 10,98,882.

Regional parties like the SP, AIADMK and TDP and the Left stand in the way of UPA getting the required numbers in this election.

"In fact, no candidate can become the next President of India without the support of as many of this group of regional parties. More specifically, support of any two of the three parties -- SP, Left and BSP -- is essential for winning," the analysis said.

It also says since NDA has less than 30 per cent of votes, it cannot expect to have its own candidate unless it garners the support of regional parties.

It also said Congress leader Karan Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee are some of the leaders who could mobilise support across party lines.