Among Ansari’s qualifications, according to a Left source privy to the negotiations, was not just being a Muslim but that his views echoed those of Karat vis a vis the US — on the vote against Iran at the IAEA and the Middle East. In a signed article, Ansari slammed India’s decision on the vote asking: “Was it necessary for us to become a surrogate’s surrogate? How often would we be asked to take the fidelity test?”

Reddy’s name was to be taken up only if Congress vehemently vetoed Ansari. His qualification was his recommendation, as chairman of a committee appointed by the prime minister, to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

These political calculations apart, the selection of Ansari was driven by the sense of personal hurt that Karat acquired, during talks that selected Pratibha Patil as the Presidential candidate.

Karat is said to have watched surprised as CPI’s D Raja and A B Bardhan praised Patil’s credentials once her name was suggested by the Prime Minister. DMK chief Karunanidhi and RJD’s Lalu Prasad Yadav had already been won over by the Congress leaving Karat in a curious position: he had vetoed several Congress names but didn’t have a say in the selection of the actual presidential candidate.

When it came to the vice president, therefore, Karat decided to assert himself. He was furious when a Congress minister commented that “it is now the time of the Left to act and for us to react.”

The Congress leader’s reported statement said his party would veto the Left’s vice presidential nominee the way the Left went about vetoing Congress nominees for president. “We would never allow the Congress do to us what we do to them,” a Left ideologue is candid and categorical. Ansari’s name came onto Karat’s radar thanks to a common friend who would also intervene later to neturalise the DMK in the negotiations.

... contd.