Congress may pick Pranab Mukherjee for President's post: sources

New Delhi: As Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is being widely seen as the Congress's Presidential choice, speculations are rife that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may keep the Finance Ministry with himself.

Sources say that even as Pranab Mukherjee emerges as the frontrunner, the Congress is waiting till the last moment before making any official announcements. Pranab Mukherjee has even cancelled a trip to Kabul later this week.

If Pranab Mukherjee becomes the Congress's Presidential candidate, there are many questions that will need to be answered as to who will replace him as he leads various groups of ministers and is also the Leader of the Lok Sabha.

Sources say there is a possibility that the Finance Ministry may go to the Prime Minister if Pranab is selected.

As for the Finance Ministry, there is a possibility that the Prime Minister may want to bring in new faces and may even want to keep the ministry with himself.

Earlier, the Congress in West Bengal had appealed to the Trinamool on Sunday to back Pranab Mukherjee as the President. Congress leader and minister in West Bengal Manas Bhuniya had appealed to Mamata Banerjee to support Pranab if the High Command makes him the candidate.

The Congress is expected to hold meetings with its allies, the Trinamool Congress and NCP, as well as the Left and the Samajwadi Party over the Presidential elections.

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