Here's the inside story on the vice-presidential elections of how Mamata Banerjee is lending Hamid Ansari a helping hand. This, apparently, is how the saga unfolded. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is otherwise not known to assert himself, reportedly lobbied hard for Ansari's candidature. The Congress party, however, was less than keen. Until someone mentioned Sonia Gandhi's June 13 statement -- as quoted by West Bengal's chief minister -- where Madam (Sonia, not Mamata) named Ansari one of her choices for Presidential office.

The prime minister, apparently, drove the same point home. Now that Jaswant Singh is in the fray, Mamata may actually weigh in with much-needed votes. For those of you who came in late, the prime minister's ties with the vice-president date back to the time when Dr Singh was wetting his feet in Track II diplomacy and Ansari looked after West Asia at the external affairs ministry.

More of this on rediff.com.