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Pranab Mukherjee to quit as India's finance minister
Pranab Mukherjee is expected to resign as finance minister on Tuesday
Pranab Mukherjee, the presidential candidate of India's ruling Congress party-led alliance, is due to quit as the country's finance minister.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to retain the finance portfolio, at least for the time being.
Mr Mukherjee leaves at a time when the Indian economy has been going through a serious decline.
Elections for India's 13th president will be held on 19 July. The winner will replace Pratibha Patil.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has appealed for cross-party support for the 77-year-old veteran politician.
"I will put in my papers around 4:30pm [1100GMT]. I will be leaving office ... and after meeting PM, I will be leaving for home," Mr Mukherjee told reporters outside his office on Tuesday morning.
Front runner
He is also expected to resign from the Congress party.
On Monday, Mr Mukherjee was given a farewell by Congress party's top leaders, including party president Sonia Gandhi, PM Singh and general secretary Rahul Gandhi. Officials in the finance ministry also gave him a send-off.
"Soon, I will not be a part of the finance ministry, I will not be a political entity," he said in his farewell speech to his colleagues in the ministry.
India's economy has been going through a rough patch in recent times. Many analysts have said that it needs to introduce a fresh wave of economic reforms to sustain long-term growth.
Mr Mukherjee, seen as a close confidant of Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi, is the front runner in the race for India's 13th president.
The presidency is largely a ceremonial post but with a fragmented electorate often throwing up precariously placed coalition governments, a lot depends on his or her judgement and impartiality.
Mr Mukherjee has previously held key portfolios in the government, including foreign, home, defence and trade ministries.
BBC News - Pranab Mukherjee to quit as India's finance minister
Pranab Mukherjee is expected to resign as finance minister on Tuesday
Pranab Mukherjee, the presidential candidate of India's ruling Congress party-led alliance, is due to quit as the country's finance minister.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to retain the finance portfolio, at least for the time being.
Mr Mukherjee leaves at a time when the Indian economy has been going through a serious decline.
Elections for India's 13th president will be held on 19 July. The winner will replace Pratibha Patil.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has appealed for cross-party support for the 77-year-old veteran politician.
"I will put in my papers around 4:30pm [1100GMT]. I will be leaving office ... and after meeting PM, I will be leaving for home," Mr Mukherjee told reporters outside his office on Tuesday morning.
Front runner
He is also expected to resign from the Congress party.
On Monday, Mr Mukherjee was given a farewell by Congress party's top leaders, including party president Sonia Gandhi, PM Singh and general secretary Rahul Gandhi. Officials in the finance ministry also gave him a send-off.
"Soon, I will not be a part of the finance ministry, I will not be a political entity," he said in his farewell speech to his colleagues in the ministry.
India's economy has been going through a rough patch in recent times. Many analysts have said that it needs to introduce a fresh wave of economic reforms to sustain long-term growth.
Mr Mukherjee, seen as a close confidant of Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi, is the front runner in the race for India's 13th president.
The presidency is largely a ceremonial post but with a fragmented electorate often throwing up precariously placed coalition governments, a lot depends on his or her judgement and impartiality.
Mr Mukherjee has previously held key portfolios in the government, including foreign, home, defence and trade ministries.
BBC News - Pranab Mukherjee to quit as India's finance minister
