Bangalore, Jul 1: UPA Presidential nominee Pranab Mukherjee sees no problem for the ruling alliance at the Centre and the Congress on the crisis-management front as he expects bright talent to emerge to fill his shoes.
Asked by a reporter how he would miss politics after doing a good job as crisis-manager, Mukherjee said there was no dearth of talent in the Congress, a grand-old party with more than 125 years of history.
It has been proved in the long history of the Congress that in the face of challenges, the party rises to the occasion.
“So, there will be no problem (on the crisis-management front)”, Mukherjee said in a brief media interaction at the office of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, where he interacted with members of the electoral college for the Presidential elections.
When asked about rising expectations from the President, the seat has become “hotter” and his expectations, he noted that some of the makers of modern India—parliamentary system, democratic values, culture and institutions—
Rajendra Prasad, S Radhakrishnan, Zakir Hussain and 10 other illustrious personalities had occupied the post of the President.
“So, I need not be worried if I am elected, for what course of action I shall have to follow”, he observed.
Mukherjee reiterated his appeal to TMC chief Mamata Banerjee to support his candidature.
“I am requesting all political parties who have not yet declared their decision, including leader of TMC Mamata Banerjee, (in favour of my candidature)”, he added.
He also drove to the residence of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and thanked him for the support of JDS, which has 26 MLAs in Karnataka and three Lok Sabha members from the State.
Mukherjee recalled that when his candidature was announced, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had rung up Deve Gowda, who “immediately responded to the Prime Minister's request”.
