Mamata building consensus on President candidate

According to sources in the TMC, party supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is backing Pranab Mukherjee, the sitting President, for a second term, while Gopal Krishna Gandhi is the second name being floated by her party. A source close to the Chief Minister told this correspondent, “Didi (Mamata Banerjee) is strongly in favour of giving Pranab Mukherjee a second term. She has also conveyed this message to Congress president Sonia Gandhi at a meeting recently. Even Gopal Krishna Gandhi’s name is in the mind of Didi as well as other important political parties and is being considered for the same.” The source also added that though Mamata Banerjee wants a second term for Pranab Mukherjee, he “would not jump the gun unless he is sure of securing a majority”.

“PranabDa is unwilling to say anything at this moment unless he is sure; therefore, it is too early to say anything on this. We are still in talks with other Opposition parties. We are also in touch with Gopal Krishna Gandhi for the same and would then take a final call after meeting all the stakeholders,” the source added. Mamata Banerjee would again be in Delhi sometime next week to discuss about the Presidential candidate. She would also be meeting Sonia Gandhi and Pranab Mukherjee during her Delhi visit next week.

Earlier this week, she already had one round of talks with the Congress high command and Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal. She had met President Pranab Mukherjee here this week. The President had also gone to West Bengal to attend a function on Mamata Banerjee’s invitation and had praised her work in West Bengal.

Banerjee is also likely to hold talks with Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav and discuss the Presidential elections as she has always been in favour of a “united Opposition” at the Centre.