Now that the Assembly polls are behind it, the Government is preparing for the Presidential poll. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to call a meeting of NDA constituents next week to discuss the strategy to elect the 14th President of India when the incumbent Pranab Mukherjee retires in July this year.
After its stupendous show in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the BJP bridged the vote deficit it had until before the elections to have its own candidate for the top constitutional post. The Government, though, is keen to have a consensus presidential candidate who also has the backing of all Opposition parties.
According to sources, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has been invited to the Prime Minister’s party being hosted next week for the NDA allies to firm up the strategy for the upcoming presidential polls. The meeting may be held by March 29, according to sources. The NDA allies would first discuss their candidate before the Opposition could be approached, they said.
“It is Modi ji’s dinner diplomacy in which he will try and get consent over a name for the presidential election slated in July this year,” a Sena leader said. The next President has to be elected before July 25.
The last presidential election had witnessed a contest. Outgoing President Mukherjee had won the elections in July 2012 by getting 713,763 votes, about 70 per cent of the total votes polled, beating former lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma, who was supported by the NDA.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has reportedly said that she would be happy if BJP veteran lK Advani or External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj become the President of India.
“I respect Advani ji, Sushma ji. I will be happy if they become President. I will also be happy if Pranab Mukherjee stays as President,” said Mamata who was speaking at a programme hosted by a private channel at Kolkata.
UP, where the BJP scored a convincing victory, has currently 83,824 votes in the Presidential elections. The BJP is expected to win around 64,896 votes.
There are 776 MPs (lok Sabha 543, Rajya Sabha 233) and 4,120 MlAs across the country. The total number of votes in the Electoral College stands at 10.98 lakh and the majority mark would be around 5.49 lakh votes. (The total value of MlA votes is 5,49,474 and that of MPs is 5,49,408.)
The BJP has 282 lok Sabha and 56 Rajya Sabha members, and 1,126 MlAs across the country (before the current Assembly elections).