New Delhi:
BJP MP Jaswant Singh met Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav at his residence in Delhi today, amid speculation that the veteran leader is throwing his hat in the ring for the post of Vice President.
Details of the meeting between Mr Singh and Mr Yadav were not available, but sources say, a section of the BJP has been lobbying for Mr Singh, a former External Affairs Minister and Finance Minister during the NDA regime, for the post of Vice President and are pushing for a quid pro quo arrangement with the ruling UPA - this would mean the BJP-led NDA backing the UPA's nominee for President and the UPA supporting the NDA's candidate for Vice President.
The Election Commission will announce the poll schedule for the Presidential election today evening.
There have been several names that have cropped up as likely candidates for President; Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is believed by many to be the front runner as the UPA's choice. Current Vice President Hamid Ansari has been talked about. Senior NCP leader PA Sangma has been touring the country to seek support for his candidacy, backed by the AIADMK and the Biju Janata Dal. But no political party has as yet put forward names for the post of Vice President.
Reports say that the ruling UPA is likely to announce its candidate for the presidential election by Friday, June 15. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, believed by many to be the front-runner among those vying to be the next President of the country, has cancelled an important visit to Afghanistan on Thursday, June 14.
The Congress, which had authorised its president Sonia Gandhi to pick its candidate, has reportedly not yet named anyone even to allies. But last-minute efforts are on to ensure there is consensus. Sonia Gandhi has invited Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to Delhi for talks tomorrow. According to reports, DMK leaders TR Baalu, MK Stalin and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav have said they will support Mr Mukherjee's candidature. The Nationalist Congress Party has said that it will "strongly stand by the government" over its choice of candidate for the next President of India.
The election for President is a significant battle ahead of the general elections in 2014, and offers the BJP a chance to take on the Congress. The BJP has said it will not support a Congress-backed candidate. But even its key ally, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has indicated that his party would be in favour of supporting a candidate who is accepted by most parties.
The President is selected by a system of proportional representation. The votes of MPs are put at par with those of elected members in different state legislatures. This gives considerable say to regional parties who have delivered impressive results in recent elections like Ms Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party.
The current President Pratibha Patil's term ends in July this year.