Not Again

Yes, it is official. President APJ Abdul Kalam will not seek a second term as the President of this wonderful country. He had been insisting on certainty of victory, and the equation didn't look favorable. Here's an analysis of the votes from http://www.ndtv.com/

If everyone votes along party lines, the votes are lined up as follows.The UNPA votes, which are already committed for Kalam, add up to 1,06,281 votes.

If the NDA throws its weight behind Kalam, and that doesn't seem likely at present, that's another 3,54,689 votes. This would mean a total of some 4,60,970 votes.

But the Congress-Left combine, which has proposed Pratibha Patil for President, already controls a majority - a total of around 5,70,000 votes.

So for Kalam to win, he will have to get about 55,000 votes from legislators that are part of the UPA-Left combine.

This was clearly not happening. And hence the decision not to contest.

Scan the internet and you will see countless messages, comments, appeals, etc, urging President Kalam to continue. Alas! As the sad tales of politics will have it. Mrs. Patil is on song and will grace the Rashtrapati Bhavan for the next five years. However, the opposing parties are already digging for information to malign her reputation and credibility. Here's a story from Rediff

The Race to The Rashtrapati Bhavan

The race to the Presidency is heating up. INC’s Pratibha Patil has announced that she will not be a rubber-stamp President, if elected. The NDA has come up with B. S. Shekhawat as their candidate, whereas the Third Front would only support the current incumbent.

President Kalam has already stated that he will not contest against Mrs. Patil. That, however, does not clarify whether he is willing to contest against someone else, say, Shekhawat. Shekhawat has announced that he is unwilling to contest the election if President Kalam wants to continue and there is consensus on his (President Kalam’s) candidature. Amidst all of these Mrs. Patil is embroiled in a minor controversy relating to her comments on purdah. Interestingly, BJP would support President Kalam if he agrees.

However, the President is elected by the Electoral College comprising members already elected by the people. Hence it just boils down to a show of strength of the different political parties. With the Indian National Congress in the losing side in the recent Uttar Pradesh State elections, it would have been easier to surmise that it would be difficult for Congress to have its way during the election of the President. However, as politics would have it, the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh has kept the race open.

Clearly, the strength of the Indian National Congress has been sliding since the last General Elections. They would do well to consolidate their position in some of the states. Also the Pay Commission’s recommendations are pending. The direction and quantum of change will become a key factor when the next General Elections become due.

Till then, it appears very difficult for Congress to get a consensus or easy election for their candidate. However, the antipathy that they have for the present incumbent will ensure that he doesn’t get a second term.

Yet I wish that President Kalam continues into his second term as the President of India.

Election to the Presidency

The President of India is about to be elected soon. The prime contenders who have emerged the last two weeks of political drama are the Congress candidate Mrs. Pratibha Patil who is currently the Governor of Rajasthan and the Third Front candidate President Kalam. BJP and its alliances are yet to come out with their candidate or support for any one of these two illustrious personalities.

Most political analysts had written off President Kalam’s second term. Well, he wasn’t very popular with the current leadership at the Centre. He doesn’t believe in being a rubber stamp President, he has his opinion and chooses to voice it. In the last four years he has been the people’s President, a man so humble, yet so great. I would personally love to see him in the Office of the President of India for another term.

No offence, however, is meant to Mrs. Patil, Governor of Rajasthan, nor her candidature. Maybe next time. And no offence to women either. The Congress party may think that having a woman President would solve its problems and would serve as a means to show respect to women. Undoubtedly! But passing the Women’s Reservation Bill would make a much bigger difference in the lives of thousands of women across the country. Why have they been stalling it?

Personally, I stand apolitical. But the love and respect that President Kalam commands, forces me to write this bit and stand by him.

You can find more information about the President here and here