M A I N   N E W S

Mamata man Gopal Gandhi says no to V-P contest
KV Prasad/TNS

NDA meet today NDA sources suggest that its convener Sharad Yadav could well be a candidate. This would also check the Janata Dal (United) from deserting the coalition, as it did while supporting Pranab’s candidature. The other name doing rounds is that of former Finance Minister Jaswant Singh

NCP sore The party members felt its leader Sharad Pawar was not accorded due respect or courtesy after the Congress quietly effected a change in the pecking order by declaring that Defence Minister AK Antony would be the official No. 2 after Pranab’s exit.

New Delhi, July 15
The vice-presidential elections took an interesting turn on Sunday with the Trinamool Congress’ first choice for the post, Gopal Gandhi, refusing to take part, even as the Opposition-led NDA said its nominee could be decided as early as tomorrow.

A day after the TMC, a key ally of the ruling UPA coalition, pushed the names of former West Bengal Governor Gopal Gandhi and former TMC legislator Krishna Bose, Gandhi politely declined, stating that he had thanked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for having thought of him and suggesting his name.

Speaking in Chennai, Gopal Gandhi also emphasised that while he was approached by some other leaders to contest the August 7 election, he said: “Thank you, I will not.”

For the second time in the last few weeks, Mamata Banerjee’s political manoeuvre to take on the ruling coalition fell flat. Her opposition to UPA presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee had made her suggest the names of former President APJ Abdul Kalam among two others. Within a day, Kalam had said he was not in the race.

While the Congress-led UPA awaits a decision by the TMC on whether its members would vote for Pranab Mukherjee as President and Ansari as Vice-President, the party is gearing up for a contest from the NDA-led Opposition. It would be interesting to see how the development unfolds since the grouping was waiting to see how the move made by Mamata worked.

Sources in the NDA suggest that its convener Sharad Yadav could well be a candidate. This would also check the Janata Dal (United) from deserting the coalition, as it did while supporting the candidature of Pranab Mukherjee. Of course, the other name doing rounds is that of former Finance Minister Jaswant Singh, who had expressed a desire to be considered for the post.

Even as it awaits the outcome of the NDA meeting scheduled for Monday morning, the party political managers would also have to keep an eye on the proposed meeting of the Nationalist Congress Party, another key ally of the coalition, tomorrow.

The NCP is sore over the manner in which the Congress handled designation of No. 2 in the Union Cabinet. In fact, the party did not send any representative to UPA’s Saturday meeting where Ansari’s name was announced. It, however, endorsed the decision to back the incumbent Vice-President.