NEW DELHI, June 18: An interesting tussle for the post of the country's next Vice-President is on the cards with at least two serious contenders from the Congress throwing their hats in the ring.

While Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptulla's name has been doing the rounds for quite some time now, her party colleague Margaret Alva has also entered the fray in the hope that a consensus would emerge that the post should go to a woman.

It is learnt that several Bishops and Christian organisations have written to Prime Minister I K Gujral, saying that the post should go to a person hailing from the community, as no Christian has ever occupied the office in the past. It is their argument that whenever there is talk that a particular post should be given to a person hailing from the minority communities, it is taken for granted that it should be a Muslim.

There had been suggestions earlier that Maharashtra Governor P C Alexander could qualify for the post if it were to go to a Christian. But with Vice-President K R Narayanan's elevation to the post of President now a mere formality, Alexander would stand no chance, as both hail from Kerala.

The name of Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma, also a Christian, was suggested by a section of the Congress, but he is said to have expressed his unwillingness to become a candidate. Congress sources believe that this would narrow down the choice to Heptulla and Alva, especially because Gujral is interested in getting a woman elected to the post.

At the moment, Heptulla appears to have the edge, considering the fact that Alva is a South Indian. Moreover, Heptulla has a good equation with leaders in both the United Front (UF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

But unlike Alva, who enjoys a good rapport with Congress president Sitaram Kesri, Heptulla is considered more of a Sharad Pawar camp follower.

Alva is also senior to Heptulla in Parliament, having been in the Rajya Sabha from 1974 when she was brought to Delhi by Indira Gandhi. Heptulla entered the Upper House in 1980.

The ongoing fight for supremacy in the Janata Dal (JD) between the Laloo Prasad Yadav and Sharad Yadav-Deve Gowda factions will also have a bearing on how the two will fare. Alva enjoys the backing of Gowda and Heptulla of Laloo.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.