The presidential election 2017 represents an extraordinary moment: India is very close to getting its first President from the BJP. For the first time, the BJP-led NDA is getting ready to have a President of its choice. In 2002, the last time the coalition was in power under Atal Behari Vajpayee, it was short of numbers and had to back consensus candidate APJ Abdul Kalam.

This time round, the NDA has a majority in the Lok Sabha as well as electoral gains in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Assam. Count its sweeping victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and governments in Goa and Manipur. With the support of its key constituents, the Shiv Sena, and a little help from one-time allies—the Biju Janata Dal of Odisha, the AIADMK of Tamil Nadu , the NDA may get a President of its choice.

The fact, however, remains that BJP does not have a majority of its own and it will have to depend on undependable ally like Shiv Sena. The Biju Janata Dal and AIADMK may not necessarily support the BJP candidate, certainly not if he has RSS leanings. Despite the huge number the BJP has, it has to depend on other parties.

On their part, opposition parties are not sitting quiet. The Congress, the Left parties, Mamata Banerjee, Nitish Kumar, Laloo Prasad and other anti-BJP parties are trying to form a front to put up a united candidate. They will not allow the BJP to have its way. The best thing still is to have a consensus candidate but that might be possible only around the present President Pranab Mukherjee.

If anyone has the stature to run for the formidable post, it is the current President Pranab Mukherjee. There are reports that he is trying for a second term. Canny and stickler for constitutional rectitude, he went with the flow of the Modi Government, signing more ordinances and executions than most of his predecessors. The Congress veteran has long expressed his admiration for the Prime Minister. “I have been deeply impressed by the focused approach for hard work of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.” The PM also returned the compliment on his birthday on December 11, 2016—“Pranad Da always put India’s interest above every think. We are proud to have such a well-read and knowledgeable President.”

President Mukherjee is eligible for re-election, as there are no term limits in India. On his part, Mukherjee had expressed his unwillingness to seek re-election: Although a post-retirement bungalow is being spruced for him, the buzz word is that the veteran Congressman is interested in the second term. He has friends across party lines. In 2012 presidential elections, parties in the Opposition had cross-voted in his favour.

Other big names doing the rounds include: BJP stalwarts, L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, apart from RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat. The Shiv Sena pushed Bhagwat’s candidature most aggressively, who could realize the “dream” of a Hindu Rashtra. Both Advani and Joshi have announced they are not in the race. Advani and Joshi face trail for conspiracy in the 25-year-old Babri Masjid demolition case, although that does not make them ineligible.

There may be dark horses. One such person in the Presidential race is Droupadi Murmu, 59, the first tribal woman to become governor of Jharkhand. She started garnering attention as the potential “first tribal President of India” ever since PM tweeted on June 20, 2015- I convey warm birthday greetings to the governor of Jharkhand . She said she did did know who recommended her name for the post of governor,. It might be her clean image and tribal background that PM might consider.

A graduate of Utkal university, she started her political career as a grassroots activist for tribal rights in the 1990s. On any given day, one can find her interacting with women from self help groups, extending financial and other help to children of raped mothers, feeding distressed visitors at Raj Bhavan, raising state pension for the disabled.

The list is getting longer. Looking for a female presidential nominee? Think of Sumitra Mahajan, the soft-spoken but battle-hardened Lok Sabha Speaker, or Sushma Swaraj, minister of external affairs and one of the very few experienced female mass leaders in the BJP.
(IPA Service)