POLITICAL STORY

December 19, 2006 (Press Release) -- > Who will be next President
> By Kushal Jeena
> New Delhi, Dec 18 : Herctic parleys and speculations have begin over
> the next president of the country as the present incumbent retires
> from the office next year. Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde
> has emerged as front runner for the office.
>
> The Opposition NDA has not withdrawn from the contest and its
> candidate for the presidency Bharon Singh Shekhawat remains in the
> ring notwithstanding the fact that some of key allies of the BJP like
> JD(U), Akali Dal and BJD are oppose to Shekhawat's candidature on the
> ground either some dalit or OBC should be made President.
>
> Earlier, Congress President Sonia Gandhi had assured Karan Singh of
> the highest Constitutional office, but later changed the idea as her
> party colleagues suggested that it would be better to have a dalit as
> the new president as it would give the party rich divident in next Lok
> Sabha elections.
>
> After several rounds of parleys within the party and later with the
> UPA allies, Congress arrived at the conclusion that a senior dalit
> leader should be made next president. The search for a senior dalit
> Congress was launched and it narrowed down to Shinde whose
> administrative and political record as well as loyality to 10, Janpath
> has been impeccable.
>
> Another reason for Shinde being selected for Presidentship, was that
> there may not be any reservation from any of the leaders of UPA
> allies. The Left parties have not yet made up their mind whether to
> run Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee as their candidate for the
> President because even if Congress is made to agree on having a first
> Communist President of India, the Opposition particularly the BJP
> would not accept it.
>
> The confrontation between the BJP and Chatterjee have become so
> frequent in the Parliament that two sides if allowed would not like to
> see each others face. With the minus point against Chatterjee, the
> Congress seems assured that its candidate would emergy victorious by
> consensus.
>
> eon.
>
> Congress worries over Lalu equittal
> By Kushal Jeena
>
> New Delhi, Dec 18 (UPI) : The acquittal of RJD President Lalu Yadav nd
> his wife Rabri Devi today of charges in the disproportionate assets
> case against them, filed by CBI seven years ago has caused ripples in
> the Congress circles as the party had put in place a plan to gid rid
> of most powerfull OBC leader from the government.
>
> Lalu, 58, and his wife were present in the jam-packed court room here
> when CBI Judge Muni Lal Paswan made a brief pronouncement acquitting
> them of all charges in the case.
>
>