Sonia to Select Congress Presidential Candidate

New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi was Monday authorised by the party's central working committee to select the Congress candidates for the posts of India's next president and vice president.

The Congress Working Committee, the party's highest decision-making body, at a meeting here passed a resolution in this regard moved by party veteran and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. Mukherjee is believed to be front-runner in the presidential polls scheduled for July when incumbent Pratibha Patil relinquishes office.

"The CWC authorised the Congress president to select the party's candidates for the forthcoming polls for the posts of president and vice president," Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters.

Mukherjee said the Congress was the single largest party in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and Gandhi would consider all aspects before taking a decision.

"Neither me, nor Janardanji will decide," Mukherjee remarked jokingly when asked about his candidature.

With politics hotting up during the past two months over who would be the UPA's presidential candidate, the Congress has been speaking to its allies and parties supporting it from outside to evolve a consensus.

UPA partner Trinamool Congress president and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed reservations on Mukherjee's candidature, while opposition Bharatiya Janata Party said it is waiting for an official announcement from the Congress.

Besides Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari's name is also doing the rounds for the high office.