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Lucknow:
While all eyes are on Mulayam Singh Yadav ahead of India's
presidential election, mum is the word in his camp. The Samajwadi
Party chief is keeping his cards close to the chest, though his
party's support will be crucial in the ruling UPA's choice of
president.
In all the Samajwadi Party will hold 69,651 votes, critical for
the UPA that is especially unsure of its temperamental West Bengal
ally, Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress. Any candidate
will need 548,507 votes to be elected president.
Refusing to be formally drawn into spelling out his choice for the
next occupant at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the
wrestler-turned-politician prefers to wait and watch.
"It is too early to give you a clear-cut answer as to we will
back. Yes, in politics deliberations are always on," Yadav told
IANS.
Close aides, however, concede that the Yadav chieftain was testing
the waters. He has made up his mind on the need for a political
candidate for the presidency.
This, insiders feel, virtually rules out the possibility of a
re-run for former president and eminent scientist A.P.J. Abdul
Kalam, whom Yadav had pitchforked in the presidential race in 2002
with the help of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
"Mulayam has had a very close relationship with Kalam and they
reciprocate each other's feeling. But Netaji, as he is known to
his supporters, feels Kalam does not fit the bill at 82 years,"
the aide told IANS, requesting anonymity.
Informed sources say if Yadav's will is not respected in the
Congress-led UPA camp, he might opt for Kalam. This, some say, is
expected to please his Muslim constituency.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is not averse to Kalam
but is likely to let political expediency and other scenarios to
be explored before taking a final call.
"Akhilesh has largely let the issue to be handled by party seniors
and his father. He is only an occasional speaker during
discussions on the subject," said a party source.
The Yadav senior is understood to have spoken to senior
politicians Sharad Pawar, Lalu Prasad and Sharad Yadav besides
leaders of all the Left parties. While Lalu Yadav is for Vice
President Hamid Ansari, the CPI is opposed to Kalam.
Congress leaders want Mulayam Yadav to fall in line if it goes
with Hamid Ansari or Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Bansal and Gandhi family
loyalist Moti Lal Vora, who has known Mulayam for years, are said
to be trying hard to gauge the Samajwadi leader's mind.
Mulayam Yadav has a long 'wish list' if the UPA wants his support,
said a senior party leader. He wants the Congress to loosen its
purse strings for developmental work in Uttar Pradesh.
This will ultimately benefit the Akhilesh Yadav government,
perhaps helping the Samajwadi Party to do better in the 2014 lok
Sabha polls when it hopes to improve its position.
The Samajwadi Party has 224 members in the Uttar Pradesh assembly,
ensuring it a major say in the presidential polls.
The electoral college for the presidential election consists of
members of the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha and all state
assemblies.
(Mohit Dubey
can be contacted at mohit.d@ians.in)
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