New Delhi, June 16: The “third front” is toying with the idea of coming up with a “credible and secular Vice-President nominee” ahead of the UPA to cut its presidential poll losses.

Reeling under the “Pratibha effect,” Telugu Desam’s Chandrababu Naidu, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav and other “third front” leaders are zeroing in on Farooq Abdullah or someone with a similar stature to force the UPA’s hands.

The initial thinking is that if they pull off a surprise, the UPA and the Left could be forced to back its nominee. The larger design is to somehow cut its losses. But the task on the ground is likely to be tricky.

The Congress is extremely guarded and is not committing whether the nominee will be from the party or the UPA. The official line is “Pehle President to chunne do.”

The Vice-President polls are scheduled for this August.

DMK chief M. Karunandhi however, was not so discreet. Asked if his party would stake claim to the post, he said: “Tamil Nadu is part of India.”

For those familiar with his style of functioning, the message is clear: the office should be offered to Tamil Nadu finance minister K. Anbazhagan, the No. 2 in the DMK hierarchy and an old friend of Karunanidhi.

In terms of realpolitik, Anbazhagan’s exit from Tamil Nadu politics has become overdue as Karunanidhi’s son Stalin is now the unofficial successor.

In Karunanidhi’s scheme of things, Delhi must take note his problem and offer a solution in recognition of his services as peace broker between the Congress and the Left over the President polls.

A senior Congress minister said it was possible that Karunanidhi’s wish would be honoured. “In the era of coalitions, southern allies have introduced a rule — nothing comes free. Each bailout, mediation has to be paid for,” he said.

The Left is also looking at the Vice-President’s office with interest.

Although there are conflicting signals from the CPM and Prakash Karat has just stopped at saying that the post could go to a UPA ally, Sonia’s managers do not rule out the Left staking a claim.

If this happens, the Congress will have little option but to concede the Left demand.

Within the Congress, there are several aspirants to the post. The larger thinking is on regional lines with party leaders wishing to consider someone from the Northeast that has largely missed out on such high offices.

So, the name of form- er Manipur chief minister and freedom fighter Rish- ang Keishing has gained currency.

Keishing, chief minister for over 20 years, is seen as a suave and acceptable face from the Northeast.