The External Affairs Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee is the frontrunner to officiate as the head of the Central Government in the absence of the Prime Minister, Dr Monmohan Singh.Mr Mukherjee is the second most senior Congressman in the government and heads over 50 Group of Ministers. He has already chaired Cabinet meetings when Dr 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.
Mr Mukherjee met the Congress President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, on Friday morning to discuss the situation arising out of Dr Manmohan Singh undergoing surgery and not being able to resume work before March.
He 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.
