The main reason which prompts the Congress Party to snap at the feet of Pranab Mukerjee is its obsession with dynastic fascism: when Indira Gandhi was eliminated by two Sikhs, Pranab Mukerjee was her Finance mInister and held the number 2 position in the Cabinet. He went up to Zail Singh and advanced his name for the Prime Ministership on the sould constitutional principle of precedent. When Indira Gandhi's father kicked the bucket, the number 2 in the Cabiner Shri Guzrilal Nanda was sworn in and the same thing happened when Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri met his untimely end in Tashkent. So Pranab Mukerjee was not upstaging anyone whern he advanced his name for the post of Prime Minister. However, the Gnani being a "loyal" courtier as indeed every Congressman is, had other ideas. He immediately had Rajiv Gandhi sworn in even though no election was held by the CPP the decide on the successor to Indira Gandhi. Such high drama preceded the appointment of Rajiv Gandhi. Result as expected: Pranab Mukerjee was dropped from the Cabinet and had to use all his Bengali wiles to inveighl himself back into the corridors of power. This is the record of the most distinguished Hon'ble Pranab Mukerjee. However, I must say that unlike most Congressmen Pranabda is well behaved, sober and articulate.
In the last Presidential election the name of Pranab made the rounds but the Congress shot down the proposal by saying that the "services" of this man were needed in the Government. Translation: it is safer to have Pranab Mukerjee in the Cabinet than outside, a clear indication that the Dynasty does not support the most distinguished Congressman. This time around the ooalition of the Congress is extrmely weak and in all likelihood will fare very poorly in the next election. The Crown Prince of the Congress Party is like my Prince ( my pet cat is called Prince) not too good at anything and wants things to fall into his hands without any effort. Under his leadership the Congress is headed for a massive defeat. What keeps the hopes of the Courtiers in the party alive is that with a pliable President a wafer thin majority can be managed as the fake secular forces can come together to craft a coalition of convenience as it did in 2009. The massive fraud and corruption of the UPA regime would mean that it is headed for a total rout.
Pranab Mukerjee will make a text book President and will go by the letter and spirit of the constitution and will not allow identity politics or politics of personal likes and dislikes to dictate his agenda. This aspect of his personality will not make him the first choice of the congress Party. Hence Mamta Banerjee and Mulayam Singh Yadava are actually doing the Dynasty a favor when they say that pranabda is not no their list of probable candidates for the post of President. Sonia Gandhi has put paid to the presidential ambitions of Pranabda by using mata and Mulayam to spike his chances. Hence there is no set back to the plans of the congress Party. This is exactly the scenario the Dynasty wants as it does not trust Pranab Mukerjee.
A P J Abdul Kalam will make a good President. However the two Dravidian parties in his home state have yet to endorse his candidature. I think Hon'ble J Jayalalithaa, the Chief Minister, may be persuaded to support him which means that the corruption and violence infested DMK will not. However, P A Sangama has entered the field and his exit could be negotiated by offering him the Vice Presidency. Jaswant Singh, a Rajput aristorcrat has not the whit of a chance and he should just gracefully retire from the race. It will not be politically correct to offer the Vice Presidency to a Rajput at this stage The Mandal darkness still shrouds India.
