A political nomination

Very clearly, it is a political nomination. Ordinarily, this point would not even deserve a mention. But the media ran a campaign for a non-political president. Therefore, this aspect of the nomination needs to be underscored. Abdul Kalam was by far, the least directly ‘political’ occupant of president’s office. All others so far, whether also educationists or philosophers, were persons with political roots. But was Kalam really a non-political choice? He was too much in the thick of India’s top governing elite to be considered a non-political person. Moreover, his nomination served political purposes for the BJP and its allies. Here was a Muslim, a scientist, who can be the symbol of India’s national-military aspirations. But the media treated Kalam as a non-political occupant of that highest office and campaigned for yet another non-political choice. NDA ignored it by indirectly fielding Bhairo Singh Shekhawat, a political nominee and the UPA too, ignored it all along. The country’s top most political office, that may require serious political acumen and discretion, has to be from political background.

While she is a political nominee, Pratibha Patil has been away from the thick of party politics for some time now. She has not been active inside the Congress party, nor has she been in any key government position. Even in Maharashtra, she has been away from state level politics for over a decade. Her overall political career has generally been non-controversial. This makes her a reasonably political yet not politically involved a candidate. That she is a dependable Congress supporter should obviously weigh in the game of politics and there is no need to ridicule her for loyalty. After all, she could be different from more loyal and plying (and more politically involved) presidents like Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed or Gyani Zail Singh.

... contd.