NEW DELHI—Pranab Mukherjee, veteran politician and former finance minister, was handily elected as India's 13th president in a major boost for the ruling Congress party, which has been under pressure over corruption scandals and slowing economic growth.
Mr. Mukherjee, who was nominated for the position by the governing Congress party-led alliance, won a comprehensive victory with 713,937 votes out of a total of 1,029,924, beating P.A. Sangma, election official V.K. Agnihotri said Sunday. Mr. Sangma, a former speaker of Parliament who was supported by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, won 315,987 votes, the official said.
"I'm thankful for being elected," Mr. Mukherjee told reporters after the announcement. "I have been entrusted with the responsibility to protect, defend and preserve the constitution of the republic [India]. I will try to justify this duty in the best possible way."
The Indian president is not elected directly by the people but voted into office by lawmakers from both houses of the national Parliament and state assemblies. Votes by members of Parliament weigh significantly more: One of their votes is worth 708 votes cast by state-level legislators.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Congress party's president, Sonia Gandhi, congratulated Mr. Mukherjee on his victory. He will be officially sworn in by the Chief Justice of India Wednesday morning.
The office of president in India is largely ceremonial and nonpartisan. Functions typically involve opening parliamentary sessions, welcoming foreign dignitaries and rubber-stamping the appointment of state governors and the head of India's armed forces. The actual powers of governance rest with the prime minister and cabinet.
Still, the president can play a critical role in times of political crisis. If no one party secures a clear majority in general elections, the president can decide which party should try to secure the support of enough smaller parties to form a government. For political parties, this is largely why the person who lives in Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of Indian presidents, matters.
This year's presidential contest has been one of the most closely watched as the Congress party faced a daunting task of keeping its alliance partners on board.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, head of the Trinamool Congress, the biggest partner in the Congress party-led United Progressive Alliance coalition, had previously opposed Mr. Mukherjee's candidature, which strained her relationship with the Congress party. She finally conceded by announcing her party's support for Mr. Mukherjee July 17, just two days before the presidential elections were held.
Mr. Mukherjee will replace Pratibha Devisingh Patil, the first woman to hold the post. The presidential term is five years.Mr. Mukherjee, 76 years old, is regarded as an astute politician and the Congress party's chief political fixer, who has spent years holding the party's fragile coalition together. He has held a string of influential portfolios in the government including finance, defense and foreign.
Political analyst Sanjay Kumar at the Center for the Study of Developing Societies, a New Delhi-based think tank, says Mr. Mukherjee could "play a decisive role" in determining who forms the next government, with national elections due in 2014 and no party expected to secure a clear mandate.
"He has attained political maturity through his all-round efficiency and non-controversial working style. He will definitely prove to be a better president," Mr. Kumar said.
Edited By Cen Fox Post Team
