Mamata is aggrieved over Pranab Mukherjee because of his indifference to her demand for the Moratorium fund  allocation for the state on special ground. There are other deep rooted reasons behind her rudeness and reluctance. Pranabda, as Mamataji calls the Finance Minister, has been the CPI(M)’s candidate for the Vice President. His hobnobbing with the Left is not liked by Sonia Gandhi. Manmohan Singh is more reliable. But the popularity of Pranab Mukherjee as the Crisis Manager  and the most impartial face of the UPA II  is to be counted.

Sonia cannot outrightly reject the name of the heavy weight and veteran Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee, and that's probably why she has floated Pranab’s name long before the official declaration on behalf of Congress. 

Finance Minister is now looking like a shuttle cock. Sonia is using Mamata and Mulayam Singh Yadav as her pawn in the game to topple Manmohan Singh. It is not a sincere wish of Sonia that Pranab comes out with flying colours  in the Presidential election. It is a tough time however for Sonia, more tough than Indira Gandhi achieving success in the presidential elections in 1969.

The way the Presidential candidates are being harrassed publicly, is denigrating the dignity of the President's post. It is not a municipal election. The whole world sees the jokes. Manmohan Singh is going to be kicked to a higher post and for that the nasty drama is being staged by UPA II.

Never before the Moratorium Budget is so dirtily linked to the Presidential election. What Mamata is demanding is not befitting as the second biggest ally in the UPA II. Who is Mulayam? He is just a fence sitter. He is still the outsider and cracks jokes in the name of suggesting new names. His significant question cannot be ignored: "Is Soniaji serious about Pranab as a Presidential candidate?" One whole day has passed, the name of Manmohan Singh as a Presidential candidate suggested by Mamata and Mulayam is not contradicted by any Congress leader till now. Nor is it confirmed. Pranab Mukherjee has met Sonia Gandhi and still nothing is known for sure. The whole scenario is assuming the character of a thriller. It is enjoyable but not dignified for the country.

Even if it is not understood why Pranab’s name is floated in the most undignified way, the palace politics seems to be crystal clear now to many. Rahul Gandhi is turned by Akhilesh Yadav to a cipher. His political future needs to be protected. The only way that remains open and unexplored before Congress is now to propose the name of Rahul as the Prime Minister in a time of crisis. This crisis will occur if Manmohan Singh is honorably ousted and jettisoned to Raisina Hill when everyone will be puzzled to decide about the next Prime Minister.

This happened at the sudden demise of Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi was made to appear as the saviour, and not the Number 2 man Pranab Mukherjee that time. This time also, in the absence of  Manmohan Singh, such a drama may be enacted to install Rahul Gandhi, as the young face in the Prime Ministerial position. The gameplan seems to be excellent only if it clicks. It is more thrilling and exciting one than a Hitchcock story or a Maupassant story in which the ending is full of suspense.

The Presidential election is not as dramatic in India as it is so in the United States. It is just a prologue, the epilogue seems to be more interesting now. ‘But is Rahul ready for that?’ – this is now the million dollar question, and not ‘who is going to be next President?'