One, for my master

 

 

Inder Malhotra

Former Editor,

The Times of India Until some days ago, there was virtual consensus that it was pointless to discuss the coming presidential election before the outcome of the Uttar Pradesh assembly poll was known. This made sense, because in the electoral college for the president – consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament and of all state legislatures – voting power of the 403 MLAs from UP is next only to that of the two Houses of Parliament. In today’s fractured and polarised polity, embittered further by the Congress-BJP enmity, this could decisively tilt the scales.

Yet, this seems to have become of little concern in recent days, because a full fledged debate is on, the main purpose of which seems to be to secure a second term for the current incumbent of Rashtrapati Bhavan, President A.P. J. Abdul Kalam. Kalam’s immense popularity across the country is indisputable, though he did draw some flak for the alacrity with which he endorsed – from distant Moscow and very late in the night – the government’s dubious decision to dissolve the Bihar assembly that the Supreme Court later declared “unconstitutional”. But, by and large, he is seen to be an independent-minded head of state, anxious to uphold the constitutional order.

His stature as a scientist who has done yeoman service to this country in the defence and nuclear arenas is self-evident. It is his simple living, along with his deep interest in making the best use of water and energy resources, and his dedication to the welfare of children, that has made a deep impression on the public mind. However, what might seem like a well-orchestrated campaign in support of Kalam and his desire to serve a second consecutive term can be a double-edged sword. It can be counter-productive.

In any case, without any comment on the qualities of President Kalam, it must be stated that except for the Republic’s first president, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, no president has served a second term, though each of them has so desired, some visibly and others from behind the scenes. Is the denial of a second term to presidents over the last 50 years merely fortuitous? No. It is indeed a convention, established carefully, though without acknowledgment. The term of the second president, S. Radhakrishnan, was to end in May 1967. Kamaraj and other members of the Congress “Syndicate” backed his desire for a second term, but Indira Gandhi would have none of it. They had reassured her that Radhakrishnan would resign two years later, but she silenced them by asking that when people ask why was Dr. Zakir Hussain bypassed, what answer would you proffer. That settled the matter.

The rest of the chronological sequence of events will have to be discussed some other time. What needs an explanation at this stage is why no ruling party wants to or would want to give the president a second term, especially if he happens to enjoy personal popularity. Under the Constitution, the president is only the constitutional head of state, rather like the British monarch. He has only one power worth the salt, namely, to appoint the prime minister. This is what gives him room for maneuver, but only in times of uncertainty. For the rest, he is bound by the advice of the council of ministers. His power to return a Bill or proposal for “reconsideration” makes no material difference to the situation.

Yet, the prestige of the president’s office is high, especially when shaky coalitions rule at the Centre. This is reinforced by the fact that the electorate is much wider for the president than the prime minister. A popular president elected to the high office for a second term is therefore a phenomenon no government is willing to bring upon itself.

The gambit of the BJP in supporting a second term for Kalam was to cynically create problems for the Congress, not a commitment to Kalam. Many BJP activists are currently demanding that vice-president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat should be the candidate of the BJP. Shekhawat has given an excellent account of himself by his impeccably impartial conduct as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Whether there can be a consensus on him is a different matter altogether. Within the Congress, the names of Dr. Karan Singh, Pranab Mukherjee, Sushil Kumar Shinde and even Manmohan Singh are floating around, but Sonia Gandhi is keeping her counsel, and waiting.