Will the UPA get a new ally or a new Prime Minister?

[mullu]

New Delhi, June 13 (ANI): The headache for the beleaguered UPA coalition government aggravated again on Wednesday when the chief of its key ally Trinamool Congress Mamata Banerjee rejected Pranab Mukherjee''s candidature for the prestigious post of Indian President.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi''s first choice for the coveted post was her chief political fire fighter Pranab Mukherjee, which was not accepted by her coalition partner Mamata Banerjee, who came out with three names including former Indian president APJ Kalam, Prime minister Manmohan Singh and former speaker of Lok Sabha Somnath Chatterjee for the prestigious post and said, "If there is consensus on either one of these three, it will be good."

Now, what will be the next move of the UPA Government, will it replace its coalition partner or will India get a new Prime Minister?

Smita Prakash of ANI tweeted: "So now what? Does Sonia get new allies? or a new PM?"

Mamata Banerjee has kept in suspense everybody, including media fraternity, after she included Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in her list for the President''s post.

It was for the first time in Indian history that a prime minister has been recommended for the race to Raisina Hills in New Delhi.

Soon after Banerjee''s suggestion for the possible successor of Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Barkha Dutt of NDTV tweeted: "When the allies begin to ask for Manmohan Singh as President you have to wonder whether the congress or a section of it is in on the plan."

Mamata flew to Delhi on Wednesday evening to discuss presidential nominee with Sonia Gandhi. Soon after landing she set off to meet Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, but she did not reveal the gist of the meeting with him.

Again, earlier in the day, Banerjee met Yadav and was reportedd to have discussed with him the candidature of Somnath Chatterjee.

Editorial Director of The New Indian Express and The Sunday Standard, Prabhu Chawla, tweeted: "Mamata has taken a sweet revenge by first disclosing the names and then getting them rejected by Mulayam?.. Now the question is: will Mamata and Mulayam decide the next Prime Minister and timing of Lok Sabha election?"

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil''s term ends on July 24 this year. (ANI)

[abhisays]

yaar yeh election ab ho hi jaaye...