Sachin=GOD Posted May 27, 2012 Author Posted May 27, 2012 Right selection is the key Jyoti Trehan May 27, 2012 At present, the most significant event on the political horizon of this country is the election of the 13th president. As a run-up to the presidential elections in July 2012, speculation and lobbying for different candidates have begun in right earnest. The president as the head of the republic symbolises India; rather the nation is mirrored in his/her personae. Thus the first condition for any presidential candidate is that he/she should have a dignified personality that makes a distinct impression on the minds of all the people of this country and the rest of the world. The other attributes a head of State should have are that he/she should be well-versed with the culture of the country, should be a scholar of some standing and should be an erudite and articulate person. To be a person with a political background is certainly not a disqualification — a home-truth that is self-evident if one focuses on some of the past presidents of India. A good grasp over administration at the highest political and constitutional level, to be in possession of consummate diplomatic skills by virtue of having represented the country in the international forums, are also highly desirable qualities in any presidential candidate. If a presidential aspirant has also distinguished himself as a philosopher, scientist, educationist, social worker or in some other sphere, it makes him/her still more suitable. Perhaps, the most important factor in the selection of the presidential candidate in the context of the Indian polity is that he/she should be secular. If one goes by the track record of electing a president, one finds that mostly the soft option of elevating the vice-president as the president has been adopted; but then this is not a tradition that has given us the best of presidents. Moreover, a quick look at the past presidents of India reveals that apart from two or three who really stand out, the rest have been a rather ordinary lot. In fact, the bar for selecting the presidential candidate has been brought so low that several names that are floating around have made a mockery of the whole process. A very valid question at this point is who should be the presidential candidate, who would be acceptable to all and should be unanimously elected. It would be no exaggeration to suggest that the person who is most qualified to be the president of India is Karan Singh. He is a philosopher, scholar, writer, has been the longest serving governor, a cabinet minister for almost a decade, a former ambassador to the US and as the head of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, the cultural face of India. He also has unimpeachable secular credentials. It would be difficult to find a more distinguished person to head the republic. By pitching for Singh’s candidature and electing him unanimously, the political parties would do a great service to the country. It is a fervent hope that the political parties do not fall prey once again to the temptation of electing an amenable candidate as the next president of India. For once after several decades, one hopes that the political parties will give India the president it deserves. Jyoti Trehan is a former director general of police, Punjab Link I agree that Karan Singh would be a very good selection as President but right now it doesn't look like his name is anywhere in the reckoning.
Sachin=GOD Posted June 8, 2012 Author Posted June 8, 2012 It seems that Congress is trying to build consensus among its allies for the name of Pranab Mukherjee as the UPA's nominee for Prez. If he is the nominee then I don't see any problems at all in his way because no other party/coalition has till now put up any good candidate. Besides, he is one of the most experienced and well connected politicians in the country so he will get votes across party lines.
ganeshran Posted June 8, 2012 Posted June 8, 2012 Pranab is the behind the scenes troubleshooter for every sticky issue the government has gotten into. He is also one of the better ministers in an otherwise mediocre cabinet (though finance isnt suited to him and Congress wont give him home). I dont understand how he will be able to play the same active role that he does currently does, in a position which is supposed to be party neutral and is little more than a rubber stamp. Unless Congress perceives a threat to Rahul Gandhi from Pranab (which is unlikely given his age), sending him to Rashtrapati Bhavan makes no sense. If they are not happy with how he handled finance, then he can be shifted to some other portfolio.
asterix Posted June 8, 2012 Posted June 8, 2012 ^ it's Rahul Gandhi. MMS will not be the next PM candidate. Pranab cannot be projected as next PM. You cannot keep Pranab in cabinet and bring Rahul as PM either. Pranab might retire in 5 years time. Hence he could become Prez. Rahul will have to struggle in any case. So no point delaying his elevation. There could be a possibility of Sonia getting ill or do something to get the "sympathy" wave for Raul. Who knows, given chewtiya public, might even win...
Sachin=GOD Posted June 8, 2012 Author Posted June 8, 2012 Pranab is the behind the scenes troubleshooter for every sticky issue the government has gotten into. He is also one of the better ministers in an otherwise mediocre cabinet (though finance isnt suited to him and Congress wont give him home). I dont understand how he will be able to play the same active role that he does currently does, in a position which is supposed to be party neutral and is little more than a rubber stamp. Unless Congress perceives a threat to Rahul Gandhi from Pranab (which is unlikely given his age), sending him to Rashtrapati Bhavan makes no sense. If they are not happy with how he handled finance, then he can be shifted to some other portfolio. Pranab has already said that he doesn't want to continue in politics after 2014 and right now he is the senior most parliamentarian and member of cabinet in the country and as you said, he has been the behind the scenes troubleshooter for the Cong Govts for the past many years. Besides, he was the senior most member of the party but had to serve under MMS since 2004. So I think this is a kind of reward to him. Also, I think the Cong top leadership realizes that the UPA Govt will easily last its full term till 2014 so they may not need his troubleshooting skills as much as they used to earlier and in 2014 there is definitely going to be a fresh leadership going into the elections (most probably Rahul Baba) and the election will be largely won or lost because of his (lack of) skills so Pranab Mukherjee may not be in scheme of things for 2014 anyways so why not send him to Raisina Hills.. If he does become the Prez then I expect some major Cabinet changes and a more important role for someone like Ahmed Patel.
Sachin=GOD Posted June 8, 2012 Author Posted June 8, 2012 Also, its become a trend to move senior politicians to retirement homes in the form of the Governor's post and Pranab Mukherjee being the senior most politician is naturally being considered for the most important retirement home i.e. the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
yoda Posted June 9, 2012 Posted June 9, 2012 This is absurd, keep recycling the same guys between different posts. WTF!
bulbul Posted June 9, 2012 Posted June 9, 2012 Also' date=' its become a trend to move senior politicians to retirement homes in the form of the Governor's post and Pranab Mukherjee being the senior most politician is naturally being considered for the most important retirement home i.e. the Rashtrapati Bhawan.[/quote'] do u really think Pranab wants to be in a retirement home :winky:
Sachin=GOD Posted June 9, 2012 Author Posted June 9, 2012 do u really think Pranab wants to be in a retirement home :winky: better to be in a retirement home than to disappear into anonymity/serve under Rahul baba if party comes to power in 2014.
bulbul Posted June 9, 2012 Posted June 9, 2012 better to be in a retirement home than to disappear into anonymity/serve under Rahul baba if party comes to power in 2014. People who are ambitious of power either stay and fight or disappear...but staying close to power and cant do anything will be worst situation
Dravid_TheWall Posted June 9, 2012 Posted June 9, 2012 Who cares. It is a useless position even Sachin=God could fill.
Sachin=GOD Posted June 9, 2012 Author Posted June 9, 2012 Who cares. It is a useless position even Sachin=God could fill. but Sreesanth cannot.
Sachin=GOD Posted June 9, 2012 Author Posted June 9, 2012 People who are ambitious of power either stay and fight or disappear...but staying close to power and cant do anything will be worst situation but when he knows that he will not be made the PM and besides that there's nothing left for him to achieve in politics then accepting the highest office of the country isn't such a bad idea after all.
Dravid_TheWall Posted June 9, 2012 Posted June 9, 2012 but Sreesanth cannot. Yes because is over qualified :hatsoff:
vipin Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 Dr. Kalam Please. I hope the NDA and all the opposition parties support him. Pranabda becoming president is bad. Especially because it opens the door for Rahul Gandhi to be the PM.
superstar Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 Abolish the post and get over the colonial hangover . Just a political person who rubber stamps.
Sachin=GOD Posted June 14, 2012 Author Posted June 14, 2012 As much as I want Dr. Kalam to be the next President, the reality is that the Cong candidate will be the next President and most probably that person will be Pranab Mukherjee.
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