With the Election Commission announcing Presidential elections on 18 July, all eyes are on the ruling NDA to know who will be its candidate.
Several names are beng dropped on the likely successor to President Ram Nath Kovind, whose tenure ends on 24 July.
The names doing the rounds include former governor Draupadi Murmu (Jharkhand), serving governors Arif Mohammed Khan (Kerala), Anandiben Patel (UP), Anusuiya Uikey (Chhattisgarh), Thawar Chand Gehlot (Karnataka) and defence minister Rajnath Singh. Murmu is said to be leading the race because she belongs to a tribal community and was the first governor in Jharkhand to complete a five-year term.
The President of India is elected by the members of the electoral college, comprising elected members of both houses of Parliament and legislative assemblies of states as well as the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union Territory of Puducherry.