Pranab dada a well-deserved and good choice

16 June, 2012

Pranab Mukerjee is amongst the very few who could achieve almost near unanimity amongst all political parties to be considered for the highest post of the nation - the President. He is a master trouble-shooter in difficult times, and commands respect from all the political parties.

HE SHOULD have been made the automatic and unanimous choice for the post of the President of India much earlier during the budget session of Parliament, when opposition leaders congratulated him warmly for the post he was going to achieve.

The Opposition should now forget Congress’s mistake of taking a late decision, and should now exhibit maturity by extending support to Pranab Mukerjee for being unanimously selected as the leading contender for the President of India.

Now, there is a bigger hurdle for the forthcoming selection of a similar consensus candidate for the post of Vice President of India. This post should go to some well-deserved non-political person. Otherwise, a wrong message will go to the public that there might have been some under-table bargaining to get support from non-allies of the Congress to get support for Pranab Mukerjee as President of India.

For the future, a constitutional amendment may be done for simultaneous election of Vice President with the President - in the manner a President is elected by all MPs and MLAs. In case of mid-term vacancy for the post of President, the Vice president may be made President for rest of the term. However, an interim Vice President may be elected by MPs only in case of mid-term vacancy.