Prez Polls: Sonia seals on Pranab's name as Congress candidate

Cooling down all the speculation regarding the name of prez poll candidate from major party in ruling UPA government, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Friday finally announced the name of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

She has appealed to all political parties including Congress's allies to support the candidatureship of Pranab.

"Pranab Mukherjee has a long and distinguished record of public service standing over five decades. There is broad support for his candidature," Gandhi said after the UPA meeting at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's 7, Race Course Road residence.

Surprisingly, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Supremo Mayawati who kept silence on this topic has announced to back the name of Pranab.

Now, Congress is waiting for the support of its allies including Trinamool Congress Party, which party Chief has already announced to oppose the name of Pranab.

Congress is also waiting for the response of Samajwadi Party (SP) whose President Mulayam Singh Yadav has suggested the name of APJ Abdul Kalam as his first choice.

The opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has announced no name so far and the congress is also waiting for it.

It is expected that Pranab will resign from his Finance Ministry portfolio on June 25 for fighting the fray.

NCP leader PA Sangama is another name in prez poll election so far, who is still seeking the support of his own party. However, Biju Janta Dal Chief Naveen Patnaik and AIADMK Chief J Jayalalithaa had earlier announced to support Sangama and appealed other parties to support him.

But, according to political experts, the equation may change, as it is the nature of politics.