Mr Pranab Mukherjee will be the country's 13th President. The 76-year-old veteran Congress leader is heading towards bagging an overwhelming majority of votes in the contest against the former Lok Sabha Speaker Mr P A Sangma. Mr Mukherjee has crossed the magic figure and got 5 lakh 78 thousand 918 vote value so far in the counting of votes of the Presidential election, which began in Parliament House this morning. Mr Sangma got a vote value of 2 lakh 91 thousand 999 when the reports last came in.

The final results are expected to be announced after the conslusion of the counting of votes by the Returning Officer and the Rajya Sabha Secretary General Dr. V K Angnihotri late this evening.

So far, counting of votes of MLAs of all the states barring Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Puducherry has been completed till last reports dropped in. Meanwhile, Vice President Mohd Hamid Ansari congratulated Mr. Mukherjee over phone.

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Mrs Sonia Gandhi, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi were among the first to reach out Mr Mukherjee at his official residence to congratulate him. The West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also congratulated Mr Mukherjee over phone. Earlier, the Home Minister Mr P Chidambaram, Defence Minister Mr A K Antony and Renewable Energy Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah called on Mr Mukherjee.

Talking to reporters Mr Sangma congratulated the UPA nominee. Mr Mukherjee will be administered the oath of office by the Chief Justice of Inida on Wednesday at the historic Central Hall of Parliament.