1.
SV & CU INT..DESHMUKH SEATED AT DESK
0.10

2.
SV DESHMUKH RECEIVES LEADERS OF OPPOSITION PARTIES
0.26

3.
CU DESHMUKH
0.27

4.
SV GROUP SEATED
0.32

5.
CU MAHARAJAH OF DHARANGADHAR (SWATANTRA PARTY)
0.35

6.
CU VI SHASTRI (BHARATIYA KRANTI DAL
0.47

7.
CU BALRAJ MADHOK (JAN SANGH)
0.39

8.
CU DESHMUKH
0.42

9.
SV GROUP SEATED AROUND TABLE
0.46



Initials MJS/V/MR/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: NOMINATIONS FOR INDIA'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CLOSED ON THURSDAY EVENING (JULY 24) WITH EIGHT CANDIDATES IN THE FIELD.

ONLY THREE OF THE CANDIDATES, HOWEVER, ARE CONSIDERED TO BE SERIOUS CONTENDERS FOR THE POST. THE LAST OF THESE THREE, CHINTAMAN DWARAKHATH DESHKUKH, ENTERED THE RACE ONLY A DAY BEFORE THE ENTRIES CLOSED.

MR DESHMUKH, AGED 73, IS A RESPECTED PUBLIC FIGURE WHO HAS HELD MANY IMPORTANT POSTS, INCLUDING THAT OF FINANCE MINISTER. NOMINATION PAPERS ON HIS BEHALF WERE FILED BY THE SWATANTRA PARTY, THE JAN SANGH, AND THE BHARATIYA KRANVI DAL - RIGHT WING AND CENTRE OPPOSITION PARTIES.

THOUGH THEY HAVE LITTLE HOPE THAT HE WILL GET IN, THE THREE PARTIES HAVE PERSUADED MR DESHMUKH TO STAND LARGELY TO PREVENT THE FORMER VICE-PRESIDENT, MR V. VENKAIA GIRI, FROM GETTING INTO THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE.

MR GIRI, A NOTED LABOUR LEADER, RESIGNED THIS WEEK AS ACTING PRESIDENT IN ORDER TO STAND. HE HAS THE SUPPORT OF TWO COMMUNIST PARTIES AND LEFT-WING SOCIALISTS OF THE SSP. IT IS THIS LEFT-WING INFLUENCE WHICH MR DESHMUKH'S SUPPORTERS SEEK TO OPPOSE.

THE THIRD SERIOUS CANDIDATE IS, HOWEVER, THE MOST LIKELY TO BENEFIT FROM A THREE-CORNERED FIGHT. OFFICIAL CONGRESS PARTY NOMINEE, MR NEELAN SANJIVA REDDY, IS ASSURED OF THE SECOND PREFERENCE VOTES OF MR DESHMUKH'S SUPPORTERS, WHICH WITH HIS OWN SUPPORTERS SHOULD ENSURE HIM OF THE OFFICE. ELECTION IS BY A SINGLE TRANSFERABLE VOTE. IF NO CANDIDATE GETS A CLEAR MAJORITY IN THE FIRST VOTER AT THE ELECTRICAL COLLEGE, THE SECOND PREFERENCE VOTES WILL BE COUNTED. UNDAUNTED BY THE PROSPECT OF ALMOST CERTAIN FAILURE, HOWEVER, MR DESHMUKH HELD A PLANNING MEETING WITH THE LEADERS OF HIS THREE SUPPORT PARTIES IN NEW DELHI ON THURSDAY.