NEW DELHI (MCT) — Pranab Mukherjee, a former finance minister and troubleshooter for the ruling Congress Party, was elected president of India, officials and local media said Sunday, securing nearly twice as many votes as his rival in the electoral college as voting continued.

Mukherjee, 76, defeated Purno A. Sangma, 64, a former speaker of the lower house of Parliament. A final tally in the 4,896-member electoral college of state and federal legislators is expected Monday. He will take the oath of office for his five-year term on Wednesday.