Pranab Mukherjee to officiate in Manmohan's absence

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee is the frontrunner to officiate as the head of the Central Government in the absence of Prime Minister Monmohan Singh.

Mukherjee is the second most senior Congressman in the government and heads over 50 Group of Ministers.

He has already chaired Cabinet meetings when Manmohan Singh is on a foreign tour. He has also chaired meetings of important committees including the Cabinet Committee on Security and Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs.

Mukherjee met Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Friday morning to discuss the situation arising out of Manmohan Singh undergoing surgery and not being able to resume work before March.

Mukherjee is likely to play a more public role in the coming days because of the forthcoming visit of Kazhakstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who is chief guest at this year's Republic Day parade.

The External Affairs Minister has been Congress' main trouble-shooter and has also negotiated with allies and played an important role in the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Deal.

He has also steered India's post 26/11 Mumbai terror attack diplomacy and is also the leader of the House in Lok Sabha.

The Vote on Account speech in Parliament will be given by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, who will look after the Finance Ministry in the absence of Manmohan Singh.

A Gandhi loyalist for long, he has held several important Cabinet portfolios, including finance, which he again gets in the absence of the Prime Minister. Home Minister P Chidambaram will give the vote on account speech next month.

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi will take all the final decisions that need to taken. Defence Minister A K Antony will be Sonia's trusted man in Cabinet and Railways Minister Lalu Prasad and Sharad Pawar are the trusted allies.

What everyone is speculating now is whether Rahul Gandhi will take a more active role and be the election face of the Congress.

With the bypass surgery on Saturday, Manmohan Singh will not be able to attend the Republic Day parade and Beating Retreat ceremony.

Meanwhile, leader of the Opposition, L K Advani has expressed concern over the Prime Minister's health and wished him a speedy recovery as has CPM's D Raja.

"The PM's health is a cause of concern for the country. I wish him the best to recover soon," D Raja stated.