Opinion - Editorials   

Ms. Patil and the Presidency

Sometimes, the best political decisions are arrived by stitching together a compromise. The surprise nomination of Pratibha Devisingh Patil as the Presidential candidate of the United Progressive Alliance and the Left parties was preceded by protracted consultations and the risk of an impasse. But the consensus candidate, a dark horse that emerged out of the political shadows at the end of the deliberations that lasted three whole days, is eminently suitable for the office. The candidature of Ms. Patil, now Governor of Rajasthan, is very difficult to fault. Her experience as a legislator and Minister in the Maharashtra Government endows her with a strong political background, always an asset in understanding the complexities and the dynamics of administration and governance. As a student of law, Ms. Patil is also well placed to have a handle on constitutional issues. Of course, constitutional knowledge and political sagacity are not the only important attributes. The office of the President may be a largely ceremonial one, but those who occupy it send a strong message to the people of the country and elsewhere. The fact that a woman is likely to occupy the highest office in the land is a matter of pride for the country.

Given the support of the UPA, the Left parties, and the Bahujan Samaj Party, the numbers are stacked in Ms. Patil's favour. However, a contest seems very much on the cards with the Bharatiya Janata Party intent on supporting Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekawat, who may receive the backing of smaller regional outfits. Ideally, the country's first citizen should be above the fray and elected by a national consensus. But political contests for the office, always a reality, have taken on a sharper edge now that the polity has become increasingly fractured. Under the Constitution, the President does not have even the minor discretionary powers Governors enjoy. The Rashtrapati's powers are circumscribed by Article 74 of the Constitution which enjoins the President to act in accordance with the advice tendered by the Council of Ministers, a mandate that some of the office-holders have followed only with reluctance, on occasion testing the limits of their powers and the government's determination. Of course, in an age of fractured mandates and multi-party rule, the President's actions could have an important bearing on the formation of a government, which explains the heightened political interest in the choice of candidate. In the absence of a new development or massive cross-voting, Ms. Patil's election as President is a certainty. She may have a relatively low profile, but her background in politics and social work would suggest she is the right symbol of the idea of the Indian state — one that is liberal, secular and progressive.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Ms. Patil and the Presidency
A shattered dream
Nuclear weapon-free world — a mirage?
Why India should cut carbon emissions
Little to celebrate at the birth of `Hamastan'
Corrections and Clarifications
Woman President
Telling cartoon
Helmet debate

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu