The race to Rashtrapati Bhawan will see a battle between Pranab Mukherjee and Purno Sangma as India's Electoral College votes for a new president on July 19.
The race to Rashtrapati Bhawan will see a battle between Pranab Mukherjee and Purno Sangma as India's Electoral College votes for a new president on July 19.
Mr Mukherjee is the Congress-led UPA's candidate for the next President of India. His candidacy is supported by all UPA allies except the Trinamool Congress which is yet to state how it will vote. He is also supported by parties like the Samajwadi Party, BSP and RJD. Mr Mukherjee has also managed to garner the support of BJP ally the Janata Dal (United) and two Left parties - the CPM and Forward Bloc. All that support adds up to more than 50 per cent of the electoral college.
Mr Sangma is supported by the BJP and two regional parties, the AIADMK and the BJD. His team is ensuring that numbers or not it will put up a fight.
Ever since they filed their nomination papers, the two candidates have been on a campaign trail across the country. Through this photo gallery, we trace their journey as they meeting leaders from different parties and thank them for their support.
Pranab Mukherjee chose the southern part of the country to begin his presidential campaign. He paid quick visits to Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. The former Congressman is seen here in Bangalore in a traditional headgear and garland.
Pranab Mukherjee having an animated conversation with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy.
Pranab Mukherjee then chose the BJP-dominated Gujarat in his campaign. The former Finance Minister paid a quick visit to BJP stalwart Narendra Modi's state where he spun the traditional charkha at Sabarmati Ashram, the residence of Mahatma Gandhi, in Ahmadabad.
During his visit to Gujarat, apart from meeting the Congress MPs and legislators, Pranab Mukherjee took time out to interact with school children.
A day after Mr Mukherjee's visit to Gujarat, his opponent Purno Sangma made an entry in Narendra Modi's state. Not to be outdone by Mr Mukherjee, he too went to the Sabarmati Ashram and spun the charkha.
Mr Sangma donned different hats at a function which he attended with Mr Modi during his one-day visit to the Gujarat capital.
And Purno Sangma did not leave Gujarat empty handed. Along with the massive BJP contingent in the state assembly (121 out of 182) showing solidarity with the former Lok Sabha Speaker, he was also presented a set of bow and arrow by the Gujarat Chief Minister.
PA Sangma may have the odds stacked against him, but that didn't stop him from shaking a leg in a traditional tribal costume in Bhopal.
A jovial Mr Sangma brought a smile on the faces of hundreds of BJP workers, and leaders present including Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan.
A quick meeting with Mukti Morcha President Sibu Soren in Ranchi was also in Pranab Mukherjee's hectic itinerary.
Sibu Soren had also met the BJP-backed Mr Sangma a day before. Mr Soren is yet to announce who he will support in the presidential poll on July 19.
Pranab Mukherjee spent a frantic weekend covering the North-Eastern states of the country. Here he is seen with Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki (left) and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio (right).
His trip also included a day-long stopover in Assam, a Congress-led state. He's seen in the picture flanked by Assam Chief Minister and Congress leader Tarun Gogoi.
Mr Sangma, meanwhile, spent time with Opposition leaders in Maharashtra.
Uttarakhand, where Congress won the state elections by the narrowest of margins earlier this year, was the next stop on Pranab's campaign trail. Seen here with Mr Mukherjee are Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and Minster of State Harish Rawat.
Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Uttar Pradesh would have been a happy one. Both the major parties in Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samjwadi Party and Mayawati's Bahujan Samajwad Party (BSP), have announced their support for Mr Mukherjee. He is seen presenting a bouquet to former Chief Minister Mayawati.
Mulayam Singh's vote for Mr Mukherjee has largely swung the game in the former Finance Minister's favour. The camaraderie between them was pretty evident when Mr Mukherjee paid the father-son duo of Mulayam Singh Yadav and UP Chief Minister Akhilesh a visit in Lucknow during his campaign.
Mr Sangma was also seen campaigning in UP. Though he did not meet Samajwadi and BSP leaders, he paid the BJP leaders a visit at Vidhan Bhawan in Lucknow.
Though he did not meet Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who defying his ally - the BJP - has shown his support for the former Congressman, Mr Mukherjee interacted with RJD chief Lalu Prasad and LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan in Ranchi. Both Lalu and Mr Paswan have voiced their support for the former Finance Minister.
