Powerful politician Pranab Mukherjee has been elected India’s thirteenth president on Sunday.
The presidential candidate of the ruling Congress-led alliance, United Progressive Alliance (UPA), got around 5.18 lakh votes to become the new President of India.
Mukherjee secured a vote value of 3,73,116 from Member of Parliament (MP) and 1.36 lakh votes from Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).
As expected, the UPA constituents and its key supporting parties, including Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and others had supported Mukherjee, along with support from opposition parties as well.
Mukherjee, who began his career from the Indian National Congress, will take oath as the president on July 25, 2012.
Celebrations sparked across different Indian cities, including Delhi, Patna, Kolkata, Birbhum, Bhopal and Ahmadabad.
Mukherjee is a respected conciliator, and as head of state he may play a role in who governs India after the general election due in 2014.
He had far more support than his rival, former parliamentary speaker P.A. Sangma, who managed to get only 1,45,848 MP votes. His votes increased to over 2.2 lakh after votes of MLAs of BJP-ruled states were counted.
Despite his decades at the top of the Congress party, Mukherjee commands respect from across the political spectrum and his renowned negotiating skills would be valuable after a messy general election result.
However with his elevation as president, the ruling coalition has lost its principal troubleshooter as well as the Leader of the House, its finance minister and the number two to the prime minister in the cabinet.
A full cabinet reshuffle can be expected in the coming weeks, possibly after September 6, when the monsoon session of Parliament concludes.
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Pranabs getting good promotiongs
@kaalchakra, check the facts before you jump to bizarre conclusions.The so called hardcore Hindu party-BJP,is the biggest party supporting cause of Sangma-the christian. disappointingly though for you, this is the same party which elected India's third muslim president.
@kaalchakra: :Few people like Muckherji because of his history as a Congress toady. He won after Hindu extremist parties issued a fatwa against supporting Christian Sangma. Even Sonia Gandhi was prevented from becoming India’s PM for the same reason. The caste system of Hindus controls every aspect of India which is the worst form of injustice and humiliation."
You are just making stuff up aren't you? It is in Pakistan that No Non-Muslim can become a President by constitution. In India there is no restriction on a non-Hindu becoming a President. In fact India has had 3 Muslim Presidents and one Sikh President. Even "Hindu extremist BJP" - the one time it had a chance to nominatea President - nominated President Abdul Kalaam who is clearly not an upper caste Hindu. Also K.R. Narayanan was the 10th President of India and he was a Dalit (what Pakistanis call Shudra).
@TightChuddhi: "What useful function does the president serve anyway" He/she steps in when there is a constitutional crisis. He/she decides who shall form the government when there is a tie in strength of the contenders. He/she supersedes the three pillars of the governance and is supposed to provide the human touch which institutions of the government may not be able to provide under the rules they must operate under!. @kaalchakra: " The caste system of Hindus controls every aspect of India which is the worst form of injustice and humiliation. " It is none of your business since you are not subject to it!
@kaalchakra: " ... Even Sonia Gandhi was prevented from becoming India’s PM for the same reason. ... "
There is an unwritten rule that Indian PM's have to be Indian born OR born in pre-Partition British India. Much like the U.S, where the President has to be a native born US CItizen.
Who cares? Our PM = their President. Both are rubber stamps
Vienna,July 22,2012 The report as I see at European time 18.14 is incomplete since Dr.Mukherjee has got over 700,000 vote tat makes almost 70 percent of the votes polled. That apart,neither the report nor the comments show any perspective of Indian President´s position.Dr.Mukherjee knows the constitution well. That is for his and India´s advantage. Taravadu Taranga Trust for Media Monitoring TTTMM India --Kulamarva Balakrishna
Indian President is head of state , but has no executive or legislative powers. Prez here has to abide by the decisions by central cabinet. Election of Mr Pranabda proved that BJP led opposition was defeated in this election. Same is expected even for Vice President post , when Mr Hamid Ansari, Congress nominee should win hands down defeating BJP nominee - Jaswant Singh ( infamous for escorting the Terrorist = Masood to Kandhar ). Indo-Pak relationship will be independent which party comes to power at centre in India. All parties including BJP will strive to build bridges with Pakistan...people remember how Advani the hard core rightist leader of BJP praised Jinnah in Pakistan... Modi or no modi, all the parties in india are pragmatic and knows that welfare of India is supreme ..!!
A major victory for Congress. In the next general elections, there will be hung parliament.Congress will not get the majority, in this situation, he as a congress-faithful, will ask Rahul Gandhi to form the government. He will like an other Giani Zail Singh. Bad for Indian Democracy.
Few people like Muckherji because of his history as a Congress toady. He won after Hindu extremist parties issued a fatwa against supporting Christian Sangma. Even Sonia Gandhi was prevented from becoming India's PM for the same reason. The caste system of Hindus controls every aspect of India which is the worst form of injustice and humiliation.
Felicitations to our Indian comrades:-)
Now lets see, wether Mr. Pranab Mukharjee is going to works-out for his country or Indian is going to have A loss in the shape of a man(president).
Powerful politician Mukerjee will become ineffective after being elected as President of India as he is only a ceremonial Head of the State.
I think the Presidentships should be abolished. They are a drain on taxpayers money. What useful function does the president serve anyway
Sangma deserved it more.
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui, Bro Thanks for your sentiments. Our president(indian) not constintutionaly strong as ur president. If he still achives something on settling JK issue, he can be remembered in our shared history.
Mukherjee is very strong candidate.At the end results is in his favour..........
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui
in india president is a rubber stamp mostly, don;t expect much until shri narendra modi comes as pm of india.
@ Mohammad Ali Siddiqui: Pakistanis have nothing else to do except to expect?
Pakistanis expect that Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, the newly elected President of India will play an important role in settling all issues of India with Pakistan.
Pakistan and India are next door neighbours. We should learn to live together as good neighbours.
If Mr. Mukherjee will be able to settle the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, he will always be remembered in the Indo-Pak history for ever.