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THE 14TH PRESIDENT OF INDIA

J. Shriyan

On 25th July 2017, the first citizen of India, the current occupant of Indian presidential palace, the Rashtrapathi Bhavan, Pranab Mukherji, shall relinquish his office as the 13th President of India. He is a politician with over 60 years of political exposure. Has done a fair and non-controversial job as Supreme Commander of India’s Armed forces. These last 5 years he tried to be a statesman, so late in the day. Occasionally he has been mouthing platitudes of a visionary. Knowing his journey in the political party he belonged, his sanctimonious utterances appeared somewhat boorish. Be that as it may, his 5 years term was marked with bonhomie with the government of parties opposed to his own political lineage. There has been no acrimony of any visible kind between two parts of the executive, defacto and dejure, head of the government and the head of the state. This is good for the country.

Now that the present incumbent is on the verge of vacating the Viceregal Palace in some 3 months time, the talks are making its rounds, about the likely new head of the state.

Before the recently held election to 5 states, there were political uncertainties about the candidate. Will the ruling combine have its candidate elected as the 14th president of India? But the election results have put to rest any uncertainty in this regard. The NDA, dominated by BJP, is very well placed to bring its candidate as the next occupant of Rashtrapathi Bhavan.

But, who is going to be the person? is naturally making its round, going in circles. The names being frequently mentioned include senior BJP leader and former Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani. Following him is LokSabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Member of Parliament and senior BJP leader Prof Murli Manohar Joshi is the third one. All these names are from BJP and hence one of them may be possible, depending on whose face Mr. Modi likes among these three.

Then you have ShivSena and Jaffar Sheriff ‘combined’ proposal of RSS chief Mohan Bhagvat, for the presidentship. Amitabh Bachchan and Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar are other two names making rounds in the media. CNN/IBN thinks Pawar is the likely candidate.

Along with lot of permutations and combinations, like, support base in RSS and among party cadres, popularity among parliamentarians are the factors being shown as influencing the decision.

But what about the big brother Modi! It is he who decides, who can be his dejure boss. And he is keeping his choice, as usual, close to his heart.

 In the meanwhile, let’s look at the names mentioned above.

Lal Krishna Advani, or LK Advani, as is known, is a Pakistani by birth so also schooled and colleged in Karachi, the commercial capital of Pakistan. Crossed over to India during partition and settled in the then Bombay. He completed his law graduation from the premier institute of law, the Government Law College affiliated to Bombay University.

His RSS connection goes back to his teens, while in Karachi. After migrating to India, his association with the Sangh Parivar only grew to greater heights in tandem with its political wing Bharatiya Jana Sangh. Jana Sangh was founded in 1951 by Shyama Prasad Mukharjee. From being secretary to the General Secretary of Jana Sangh, LKA soon became the General Secretary. Clearly he was meant for bigger roles. Soon he became the President of Delhi Jana Sangh followed by the leadership of Delhi Metropolitan Council. While helping the RSS mouthpiece ORGANISER, he became a member of the national executive of Jana Sangh. Recognizing his ability and talent he was made the president of Jana Sangh in 1973. By 1982, he was already a Rajya Sabha member for 2 terms of 12 years. However in the period prior to 1982, post emergency period of Indira Gandhi regime, he became a LokSabha Member in 1977 due to the political polarization leading to the birth of Janata Party. He became the first Minister of Information and Broadcasting of Janata experiment. However the experiment did not last long. Jana Sangh, part of the Janata Party left the rainbow coalition to form what is now Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP). From a poor 2 seats in 1984, it grew to 86 seats n 1989. In the meanwhile LKA became the president of BJP and embarked upon his now famous ‘Rathyaatra’ criss crossing the country to ignite BJP supporters to the cause of temple for Lord Rama at Ayodhya so also to bring in more and new supporters. This, to some extent, helped BJP to do better politically & electorally. He had a questionable role, in the demolition of old Babri Masjid structure in Ayodhya, where supposedly Lord Rama was born. This could probably haunt him for some time. In 1996, when BJP emerged as the single largest party, its government lasted just 13days only. Wisdom prevailed to join a coalition, based on minimum consensus programme. Thus National Democratic Alliance- NDA- was formed. And it won the majority in 1998 and formed the first NDA government. It lasted 13 months, but the fresh election brought it back to power to last until 2004. In this government LKA played a very important role as Deputy Prime Minister. For 10 long years NDA remained out of power to return in 2014, but LKA was denied any ministerial role due to the 75 years limitation started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The years between 2004 and 2014 saw Narendra Modi, emerging as the undisputed Numero Uno of BJP because of his huge grassroots following. Certainly, seniors in BJP felt sidelined. But the fact of the matter is, Modi did what others couldn’t do. He brought BJP back to power in 2014, single handedly.

LKA, as of now, is in political ‘vanavas’. He enjoys no role, he gives no interviews and reportedly he has stated that he is “not in the race for India’s Presidentship”.

As a political public figure, except the Babri Masjid demolition imbroglio, he had fairly a clean record. Jain Hawala scam did touch and go, but apex court cleared LKA due to ‘no credible evidence against him’. Kushwant Singh, the well known journalist, had reportedly described LKA as “really one of the most able, cool headed, courteous and clean politician left to-day.” According to him he was “pretty certain that he (LKA) will never be unfair to Muslims, if he becomes a minister.”

The description by Kushwant Singh is generally fair. Although LKA is a bit of Hindutva hardliner, he has no adversaries among opposition leaders. His public demeanor is very polished and he is not a rabble raiser. He is a good communicator. In fact Mamata Bannerji, despite her hatred of PM Narendra Modi and her dislike of BJP, had gone on record to endorse LKA for Presidentship after Pranab Mukjerjee.

Speaking at the 80th anniversary of Brahma Kumaris recently, he recollected his association with RSS, and how he imbibed discipline and honesty which helped mould his character, “I have, in my life and conduct, never compromised my principles” he was reported to have stated on the occasion.

89 years old LKA is a good candidate, if BJP, rather Modi, decide to nominate him as its candidate to occupy the Viceregal Palace. LKA will surely bring quite dignity to the office of the President of India.

Sumitra Jayant Mahajan, is the present speaker of Loksabha. Born into a chitpaavan family, she is an M.A and did her LLB, both from Indore University, which is presently known as Devi Ahilya University. She came into active politics little late. However once she took to politics it was like duck into the water. 1984-85 saw her as the Deputy Mayor of Indore Municipal Corporation. In 1989, she tried her luck in Loksabha election and won against a formidable Congress candidate P.C. Sethi, a former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. She actively worked for her constituency by bringing many development projects, through Railways, Civil aviation and Urban Development ministries. No wonder she won from the same constituency for an incredible 8 times from 1989 to 2014. She is known for her simplicity, honesty and clean politics. Reportedly she has a clean track record and has always kept herself away from group politics. She was the president of BJP Mahila Morcha for Madhya Pradesh. During all these years in parliament, she was very active and was, in one committee or the other, for all her 25 years in Loksabha. Three times she was minister in the government of Atal Bihari Vajapayee. In party, she grew up to General Secretary level in 1988/89. In February 2017, she was honoured by LIMCA book of records by including her name for being the ‘First Indian to represent the same LokSabha constituency on the same party ticket for 8 times in a row’. This speaks volumes of her persona.

As a presidential candidate she has enough and more credentials. In age she is younger at 74 years. If NDA decides to nominate her, she will be elected without much opposition.

Prof. Murli Manohar Joshi, an RSS man since 1953, is also a senior leader of BJP with a long standing. During 1991/93 he was the president of BJP. He was the Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee led NDA government.

An M.Sc in Physics, he did the rare Phd, in Hindi in Physics, both from Allahabad University. He was teaching at Allahabad University for quite some time. He spent some 2 years in jail during the emergency days. Janata party, formed post emergency days, made Joshi its General Secretary. When BJP was formed after Janata split, he again became Gen. Secretary of BJP. Since then he held different positions in the party leading up to presidentship.

As a 4 time MP, he had the privilege of vacating his regular parliamentary seat of Varanasi to Narendra Modi. His popularity was such that he won his current parliamentary seat from Kanpur by a margin of some 2.25 lakhs votes. Thus, he not only has grass root acceptance, he is also well versed in parliamentary politics besides his background as a faculty at Allahabad University. All these should stand in good stead for his consideration to the highest position of the land.

Mohan Madhukar Bhagwat, born post Indian independence in Sept. 1950, is the present Sarsanghchaalak, or the Chief of Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh(RSS). His name came into currency because of the proposal which came from ShivSena, an ally of BJP in NDA, so also in the state of Maharashtra. ShivSena was only trying to fish in the ruffled water in just being different from its love/hate partner BJP. ShivSena chief Uddhav Thackray, unlike his father, is an unsteady man without any ideology or philosophy. Hence his proposal is not likely to have any impact. However, strangely the name of Mohan Bhagwat was repeated by Jaffar Sharif, a Congress politician from Bangalooru. Of course , the kind of political background he is coming from, he too need not be taken seriously.

However, since Mohan Bhagwat, is part of the Sangh Pariwar, he is being discussed here without much relevance to the topic on hand. Although, in politics anything can happen. Sheriff himself was a driver to the Congress President late Nijalingappa and was a carrier of news/secrets to Indira Gandhi which helped him gain her confidence and he slowly became a prominent Congress politician. After all there is no specific qualification needed to be a politician. Being an opportunist is enough.

Born in Chandrapur, Maharashtra, Mohan Bhagwat is a graduate in Veterinary Science. While doing his P.G, he joined RSS as a full time worker (prachaarak) and gave up his studies. His father too was a senior functionary of RSS. Being a full time worker, dedicated and committed, he grew slowly through the ranks and became the Chief of the organization at the age of 59, supposedly the youngest leader to head the organization in recent times.

With the kind of background, he is from; he is very unlikely to be proposed, as his exposure is not complementary to the functioning of Indian Presidency. Both ShivSena and Jaffar Shariff had only mischief in their mind when they proposed his name. It is also true that RSS chief had recently stated that he is not interested in the Indian presidentship, while adding “Such a news is only for entertainment”.

Sharatchandra Govindrao Pawar, or Sharad Pawar is a political heavy weight. Born to an unlettered Farmers Co-operative employee in Dec 1940, Sharad Pawar grew in stature like a colossus all over his native Maharashtra, through means both right and wrong. He is the most influential politician of all times, both in national and state politics, despite being involved in many controversial issues, and even scams.

In his over 75 years of life, he occupied most positions of power both in state politics as Chief Minister and in Centre as Cabinet Minister under different dispensations. He also nursed an ambition to be the Prime Minister, and why not? In a country where Haradanahalli Doddegawda Deve Gowda can be the Prime Minister, anybody can be, according to Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Without being a cricketer, Sharad Pawar was involved in big time cricket, including that of the Presidentship of International Cricket Council besides, that of BCCI & Maharashtra Cricket Association(MCA) . Only recently he left MCA after Supreme Court fixed 75 years age bar for cricket association office bearers. He is a machinist par excellence, in influencing courses of many events that benefitted him and his activities. He was involved in controversies galore, of every conceivable kind including his alleged contacts with underworld fugitive Dawood Ibrahim. He had friends in high places and used his political office and position to the advantage of his family and friends. Despite all negatives, BJP under Modi, strangely took help from Pawar’s NCP to prove its majority in Maharashtra assembly, when ShivSena played difficult. Modi an anti-corruption man took help of corrupt Pawar to save the day for his party. That’s real politic. And the same government of Modi awarded Sharad Pawar with the 2nd highest civilian award of Padma Vibhushan. Did he deserve it? If so under what category? That was indeed funny. Therefore could it be as CNN/IBN so confidently says that the NDA government will propose Sharad Pawar as the next President. Indeed sometime truth can be stranger than fiction.

Some even mentioned Cine Star Amitabh Bachchan to be a probable candidate for presidency of India. Long ago, when Rajeev Gandhi was the Prime Minister, he had appointed and announced the appointment of Amitabh Bachchan as the chairman of Nehru Centenary Celebration Committee. Rajeev Gandhi was a prime minister of India, due to an accident. He didn’t know what was he doing. That was how he lost the power despite 414 seats in the 1984/89 Loksabha. There was an uproar in the media post announcement of Bachchan’s appointment. It was soon withdrawn. Bachchan & Gandhi’s were family friends. So Rajeev Gandhi thought as PM he is free to do as he liked. After all India knew Amitabh only as a film actor. Of course courtesy Rajeev Gandhi, Bachchan had become Member of Parliament after some years. He even became a film star too due to the intervention of Rajeev’s mother, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. 

Bachchan has been a successful Hindi film star, made enough name, fame and fortune. He is a very good communicator. He has a huge presence on the stage. He is a very well known face in the public space. He is very well educated. However, is he an Indian president material? But at 76, Amitabh Bachchan is better than Ronald Reagan, a former U.S president, who too was a Hollywood actor.

If these lady and gentlemen were being talked about in the media and public space as the possible next 1st citizen of India, then we at I&C have our own take. In 2002, we had envisioned APJ Abdul Kalam as the next incumbent at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan.

This time we at I&C are envisioning a president who is a technocrat, an entrepreneur and a philanthropist.

Azim Hashim Premji, born in Mumbai, to Ismaili Shia Community is a rare modern day philanthropist India has seen, who is a technocrat and an entrepreneur employing thousands in his WIPRO LTD, a multi products/services company. In 2004 and in 2011, he was one of the 100 most influential people, according to the TIME magazine. In 2010, ASIA WEEK had voted Azim Premji as one of the 20 most powerful men in the world.

Born in 1945 to a wealthy businessman Muhammed Hasheem Premji, also known as Rice King of Burma, young Azim, despite having been born with silver spoon, is a man equally rich at heart. A Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University in the U.S., took over the reins of Western India Vegetable Products Ltd., upon the passing away of his father in 1966. From a hydrogenated oil manufacturing company, Azim diversified the company into multi product entity. Realising the potential of Information Technology, he entered the high technology sector in 1980 and made huge strides to be known as the CZAR of Indian IT Industry to emerge as one of the global leaders in the Software Industry. Business Week recognized him as one of the Greatest Entrepreneurs for being responsible for his company WIPRO emerging as one of the world’s fastest growing companies. Among other recognitions are doctorates conferred on him. Manipal University and Mysore University have conferred doctorates to Azim Premji. So also he received Economic Times (ET) Life Time Achievement award. Government of India awarded him with both Padma Bhushan in 2005 and Padma Vibhushan in 2011.

However what is truly exclusive about Azim Premji is his outlook on social reach-out initiatives. He is the first Indian to sign-up for THE GIVING PLEDGE initiated by Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, two of the world’s richest individuals.

THE GIVING PLEDGE encourages wealthy individuals to make a commitment to give most of their wealth to philanthropic causes. Azim Premji is the 2nd richest man in India with over US$ 16 billion net worth, that is in rupee terms over 110,000 crores. And he has pledged 50% of that to give it away and already given away over 80% of the pledged commitment. Wesleyan University in Middle town, Connecticut, U.S, has awarded Premji with honourary doctorate for his outstanding philanthropic work.

With a vision to significantly contribute to achieving quality universal education that facilitate a just, equitable, humane and sustainable society, he founded Azim Premji Foundation. He has a vision to bring about systemic change in the elementary education in 1.3 million government run schools of India. To this end his foundation works closely with government of Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Pondicherry, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. With the larger purpose of creating educational development models so also creating educational professionals he has setup The Azim Premji University under an Act of Karnataka government. With these details of his capability, recognition and his vision for an educated India, we at I&C think, he is an eminently qualified person to be the next President of India.