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Political leaders cutting across party lines made a beeline to congratulate the country’s new President-elect, Pranab Mukherjee, at his residence here on Sunday. Soon after his victory was formally announced, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh went to Mukherjee’s official 13, Talkatora Road residence to congratulate him. Mukherjee, who has so far polled around 593721votes against his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) backed rival P.A. Sangma’s tally of 302722, will replace incumbent Pratibha Patil as the country's next president on Wednesday morning. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress general-secretary Rahul Gandhi also visited Mukherjee’s residence and wished him on his stupendous success. Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, also called up the ex-Congress stalwart to congratulate him. Meanwhile P.A. Sangama, addressing mediapersons, accepted his defeat and congratulated Mukherjee, adding however, that the nation had lost an opportunity to elect a tribal president. Mukherjee will be administered the oath of office by the Chief Justice of India at around 11.30 a.m. on July 25 in the historic Central Hall of Parliament. As many as 95 percent of the 4,896 electors -- 776 MPs and 4,120 MLAs -- had exercised their franchise on Thursday at the polling centers set up in Parliament House and 30 other states and Union territories with assemblies.

Congratulations pour in for Pranab Mukherjee