A guessing game has begun in UPA circles on who will be the new number two in the Manmohan Singh government after Mr Pranab Mukherjee’s elevation to Rashtrapati Bhavan next month.
The new Leader of the Lok Sabha may not necessarily be the government’s second-in-command or indeed its key troubleshooter responsible for keeping Congress allies, supporting parties and the Opposition in good humour.
Mr Mukherjee had effortlessly filled all these roles. Defence minister A.K. Antony may preside over Cabinet meetings in the Prime Minister’s absence, but that might not automatically make him number two.
Home minister P. Chidambaram too will find it difficult to play this role following his mess-up on Telangana. He is articulate and known for quick decisions. He is one of three ministers (the others being Mr Mukherjee and Sharad Pawar) with whom the PM is comfortable and consults regularly.
Mr Chidambaram, however, is not seen as a team leader. Others like Kamal Nath, S.M. Krishna, Sushilkumar Shinde, Ghulam Nabi Azad and S. Jaipal Reddy all have limitations, insiders say.
The next year and a half is vital for the government as its decision-making and governance will set the tone for the next Lok Sabha election. “The Congress will have to decide this year or early next year if it wants a UPA-3 or prefers a post-poll alliance with likeminded parties,” a senior leader said.