Presidential race nominees: Strength and weakness

New Delhi: The Presidential poll this year has created much noise than expected for obvious political reasons. Allies Trinamool Congress and Samjawadi Party introduced a dramatic twist into the race on Wednesday evening by making it clear than they would not go with the UPA Chairperson and Congress President Sonia Gandhi's choice.

Leading the race is Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, backed by Congress. Others in the fray are Vice-President Hamid Ansari, former president APJ Abdul Kalam and former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee. Kalam is a strong contender as he has the support of Mamata and Mulayam. Prime Minister Manmohan

Singh also figures in the list as one of the competitors.

Mamata introduced a dramatic twist into the race by making it clear than she would not go with Congress\'s choice.

Here is the list of strengths and weaknesses of the nominees:

Pranab Mukherjee

Strengths: Wide experience of government and constitution

Respected across parties

Weakness: Has had an uneasy equation with Sonia Gandhi.

Needed by UPA-II for crisis management

Hamid Ansari

Strength: Dignified as Vice-President

Congress's second choice for now

Weakness: BJP may oppose his candidature, especially after the Lokpal Bill controversy

APJ Abdul Kalam

Strengths: Known as people's President and a popular choice

Weakness: Seen as an NDA candidate

Somnath Chatterjee

Strengths: Parliamentarian par excellence

Weakness: Congress sees him as too independent

Not a Congressman and his appointment would anger the Left

Manmohan Singh

Strengths: Personal integrity

Weakness: Needed more in government during economic crisis

Won't be acceptable to the Opposition

Making him President would be admission of the government’s failure.

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