As the race for the President of India slated for later this year gains momentum, frenzied lobbying among political parties is on the rise and the list of possible candidates is growing longer. Names being bandied around include finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar,  Vice-President Hamid Ansari and ex-president APJ Abdul Kalam. But who among these worthies is the right person? What is the quintessential prerequisite that should dictate our final choice? More pointedly, is a political antecedent an asset or a liability?