The Hindu : The next President

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Saturday, Jun 15, 2002

Opinion

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The next President

HAVING GAINED THE support of key Opposition parties such as the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, A.P.J. Kalam is set to become the next President of India. The substantial political consensus that has emerged around the candidature of the eminent scientist is matched by popular approval on the ground. The elevation of Dr. Kalam to the country's highest and most exalted constitutional post conveys many things. Above all, it is a reaffirmation of the essence of Indian democracy. The fact that a person who hails from such a humble background could rise to occupy the most distinguished position in the land is a testimony to prevalence of opportunity and the capacity to overcome odds through merit and endeavour. Dr. Kalam's essential humility and touching simplicity are likely to lend a special character to the majesty of his lofty office.

At another and more immediate level, Dr. Kalam's candidature has facilitated a significant (but by no means total) consensus. Given this, concerns that the presidential election would become a battleground for a fierce and counter-productive political battle have vanished. Of course, with the Left parties having announced Lakshmi Sehgal, a key figure in the Indian National Army, as their candidate for the poll, a contest is inevitable. But with the coming on board of the Congress, the only party with the strength in the electoral college to mobilise the requisite numbers for a keenly fought presidential poll, any contest now is likely to be symbolic rather than real. In the existing circumstances, precipitating a contest cannot provide even a remote hope of victory; however, it may provide an opportunity to record dissatisfaction on matters of principle.

While it is welcome that Dr. Kalam's candidature has evoked substantial political support, it is impossible to ignore that this consensus was achieved in far from ideal circumstances. Having found its original nominee, P.C. Alexander, unacceptable to those both within and outside the Government, the NDA's managers went ahead with announcing the candidature of Dr. Kalam rather than do what they ought to have in the first place — engage in a sincere and wide-ranging consultative process to select a person who is acceptable to all. It is this very lack of a candid search for consensus which, from the very beginning, had lent the presidential election the appearance of a political chessboard, a place on which cynical manoeuvres and cunning stratagems were being played out. Finally, it was the Congress' reluctance to oppose Dr. Kalam's candidature which won the day. While there is a justifiable sense of relief that a bitter and fractious presidential election has been averted, the manner in which the consensus was reached wears the unfortunate appearance of one `enforced' rather than one `evolved'.

When he moves into Rashtrapathi Bhavan, Dr. Kalam will, in a way, be the first of his kind. Previous occupants have either been politicians or administrators with distinct political links. As a scientist who was entrusted with overseeing the country's missile development programme, Dr. Kalam's candidature is a departure from an established trend. Not surprisingly, there has been some discomfort with the signal conveyed by the selection of Dr. Kalam, seen as the principal architect of India's missile programme, in the wider context of the BJP's pursuit of a militaristic agenda. There is also the question as to whether, given his likely lack of a deep knowledge of the Constitution, he would be able to negotiate the tricky constitutional and political issues that arise. While Dr. Kalam's essentially non-partisan nature is not in question, it seems evident that the BJP's seemingly enthusiastic support for his candidature was a result of wholly extraneous factors — underpinned as it was by an element of tokenism and a desire to deflect attention from the horrific and unpardonable communal carnage in Gujarat. The less than straightforward reasons which settled Dr. Kalam's candidature however are no reflection either on his integrity or on the undeniable popular support he enjoys as he prepares to become India's next President.

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