President Election 2012: Who is Pranab Mukherjee?
NEW DELHI: Former finance minister Pranab Mukherjee looked set to be elected the country’s new president on Sunday and analysts said the canny veteran could play a key role in steering the nation through testing times.
Mukherjee, 76, a ruling Congress party loyalist, was the overwhelming favourite for the post of head of state after drawing broad support over rival Purno A. Sangma, 64, a former parliamentary speaker.
The president is chosen by 4,896 state and parliamentary lawmakers and Mukherjee’s success would mark a welcome victory for the embattled Congress, which is struggling with a string of graft scandals and a slowing economy.
The lawmakers cast their votes late last week and results from the counting were due at 5:00 pm local time (1130 GMT) on Sunday.
Famously just five-feet (152 centimetres) tall, Mukherjee — who uses a stool to be seen over podiums — has long been Congress’s firefighter, leaving many wondering how the party will cope without its “political Mr Fixit.”
But analysts say he may be called on to play an even more influential role as president. Under the constitution, the prime minister wields most of the executive power but the president can play a vital part in forming governments.
Mukherjee, who resigned as finance minister to seek the presidency, could “be the kingmaker,” said analyst T.K. Tripathi.
With the upsurge of regional parties in an increasingly fractious political landscape and the possibility of a hung parliament after the 2014 elections, he could have a pivotal role in deciding the next government, analysts say.
“It’s in this turbulent scenario Mukherjee as a president will be able to steer the ship of the state. He’s a troubleshooter,” said Sanjay Kumar, analyst at India’s Centre for the Study of Developing Societies.
The presidential palace’s current occupant, Pratibha Patil, 77, India’s first woman president, has kept a low profile and cut a conservative figure with her sari pulled over her hair.
Mukherjee, who speaks English with a heavy Bengali accent and whose colleague affectionately call “Pranabese”, was born in a West Bengal village and worked as a teacher
You can read the rest of this article at:: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/president-election-2012-who-is-pranab-mukherjee/articleshow/15093623.cms
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Posted by RobertButler
on Jul 22 2012. Filed under 2012 Presidential Campaign.
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