‘UPA has better chance of winning Prez elections’

Cong-led UPA has a better chance of winning the 2012 Presidential election, an analysis by a think-tank says.

New Delhi: Congress-led UPA has a better
chance of winning the 2012 Presidential election if it fields
a candidate "more acceptable" and beyond party line, but
regional parties like the SP, AIADMK and BSP would play an
important role, an analysis by a think-tank says.

An analysis by the Centre for Media Studies says no
national party can get its nominee elected in July elections
without the support of regional parties which account for a
quarter of nearly 11 lakh electorate.

It says the UPA has not got the numbers on its own to get
its candidate elected, but it has a better chance to mobilise
support by having a "more acceptable and much beyond party
line candidate."

UPA has only a little over 40 per cent of total votes
against 57 per cent it had in the 2007 Presidential polls, the
analysis said, adding that Congress has 31 per cent of total
votes against 24 per cent of the BJP.

The electorate for this year`s Presidential polls is
expected to be 10,98,882.

Regional parties like the SP, AIADMK and TDP and the Left
stand in the way of UPA getting the required numbers in this
election.

"In fact, no candidate can become the next President of
India without the support of as many of this group of regional
parties. More specifically, support of any two of the three
parties -- SP, Left and BSP -- is essential for winning," the
analysis said.

It also says since NDA has less than 30 per cent of
votes, it cannot expect to have its own candidate unless it
garners the support of regional parties.

It also said Congress leader Karan Singh and Finance
Minister Pranab Mukherjee are some of the leaders who could
mobilise support across party lines.

PTI

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