masterstroke on President
Good writeup by Bainjal
First up, an honest confession: I had no clue that the Modi-Shah duo were planning to make Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind the candidate of the ruling coalition for "Mahamahim" (President) of India.
Neither did anyone in the media, apparently - channels were "breaking" reports of Sushma Swaraj as the choice all weekend.
Governor Kovind, 71, who comes from Kanpur, is a Dalit and therefore will expand the BJP's outreach to the community after it delivered so well in the recent Uttar Pradesh election.
The choice displays Modi and Shah's penchant for pulling off "spectacular surprises" such as the appointment of Yogi Adityanath as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. If elected, which is highly likely, Kovind will also be a President who Modi will be supremely comfortable with. Keep in mind that it is the new President who will swear in the next government in 2019.
The Sangh Parivar will be delighted as this is the first time that an unabashedly loyal "saffron soldier", as an important BJP leader described him to me, will occupy Rashtrapati Bhavan. "History will come full circle as after Modi-ji, one of our own, the former president of our Dalit morcha, will take the top Constitutional job. This to date will be the biggest achievement of the Sangh" said the BJP General Secretary who asked not to be named.
The selection of Kovind proves that Modi and Shah do not take a moment off from 24/7 politics. From being seen as a party of the upper castes and traders, Modi and Shah have tried to re-image the BJP as embracing the entire "Hindu Samaj". This unification of the Hindu Samaj has been done in tandem with the RSS and its chief Mohan Bhagwat, who had declared the year before the UP elections as devoted to Dalits.
Kovind has had two stints in the Rajya Sabha and had a small practice in the Supreme Court. He has known Modi well for decades and both share a common interest in building educational infrastructure, say sources. Kovind used to visit Modi when he was Gujarat Chief Minister. Kovind is also known to be close to union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
Kovind's selection is also going to challenge the opposition's plans to to field a common candidate against the BJP. For example, it will be difficult for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who gets along reasonably well with Kovind to oppose a Dalit face. Similarly, the Samajwadi Party and Mayawati will also find it difficult to oppose a Dalit candidate who belongs to Uttar Pradesh.
The opposition, mainly the Congress and the Left, wants to cast the presidential election as a "(Gopal) Gandhi versus Godse" battle but will now find attrition in its ranks.
As an open adherent of the saffron ideology who is conversant with the constitution, Kovind is also likely to soothe the BJP's most troublesome ally, the Shiv Sena. Said a senior opposition leader, "No party with the general elections coming up will want to be seen to be opposing a Dalit candidate."
It is also unlikely now that Gopal Gandhi, former West Bengal Governor who is the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and Trinamool Congress's chief Mamta Banerjee's favoured choice, will want to enter the contest. This is likely to isolate the Congress and the Left further as they have not been able to build consensus among other parties on a suitable candidate. A name they have considered is former speaker Meira Kumar, also a Dalit and the daughter of freedom fighter Jagjivan Ram, but it's not a candidature that will set the Yamuna afire.
Modi and Shah have shrewdly ensured that they cause a strategic split in the opposition camp while getting an ideological fellow traveler into Rashtrapati Bhavan. Shah has basically stolen a leaf out of Sonia Gandhi's play book when she pulled Pratibha Patil out of her hat as the first woman president. The symbolism ensured minimum questioning and a break in the opposition ranks with the Shiv Sena voting for her because she was from Maharashtra. The appointment turned out to be mere tokenism and a questionable choice with many scandals dotting Patil's presidency.
Make no mistake: only three people knew of the choice and one of them was in Nagpur (Shah had a final consultation with Bhagwat last week). Even with the BJP's token gesture of consulting the opposition last week, Kovind's name was not revealed.
While his selection is going to cause huge heart burn among senior members of the BJP such as Murli Manohar Joshi, Ram Naik, L K Advani, it's a logical choice for the Dalit outreach and the mission of unifying "Hindu Samaj". If elected, Kovind will ensure that Modi has a friend in Rasthrapati Bhavan while he sets about recasting his party and the country in a saffron image. more
First up, an honest confession: I had no clue that the Modi-Shah duo were planning to make Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind the candidate of the ruling coalition for "Mahamahim" (President) of India.
Neither did anyone in the media, apparently - channels were "breaking" reports of Sushma Swaraj as the choice all weekend.
Governor Kovind, 71, who comes from Kanpur, is a Dalit and therefore will expand the BJP's outreach to the community after it delivered so well in the recent Uttar Pradesh election.
The choice displays Modi and Shah's penchant for pulling off "spectacular surprises" such as the appointment of Yogi Adityanath as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. If elected, which is highly likely, Kovind will also be a President who Modi will be supremely comfortable with. Keep in mind that it is the new President who will swear in the next government in 2019.
The Sangh Parivar will be delighted as this is the first time that an unabashedly loyal "saffron soldier", as an important BJP leader described him to me, will occupy Rashtrapati Bhavan. "History will come full circle as after Modi-ji, one of our own, the former president of our Dalit morcha, will take the top Constitutional job. This to date will be the biggest achievement of the Sangh" said the BJP General Secretary who asked not to be named.
The selection of Kovind proves that Modi and Shah do not take a moment off from 24/7 politics. From being seen as a party of the upper castes and traders, Modi and Shah have tried to re-image the BJP as embracing the entire "Hindu Samaj". This unification of the Hindu Samaj has been done in tandem with the RSS and its chief Mohan Bhagwat, who had declared the year before the UP elections as devoted to Dalits.
Kovind has had two stints in the Rajya Sabha and had a small practice in the Supreme Court. He has known Modi well for decades and both share a common interest in building educational infrastructure, say sources. Kovind used to visit Modi when he was Gujarat Chief Minister. Kovind is also known to be close to union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
Kovind's selection is also going to challenge the opposition's plans to to field a common candidate against the BJP. For example, it will be difficult for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who gets along reasonably well with Kovind to oppose a Dalit face. Similarly, the Samajwadi Party and Mayawati will also find it difficult to oppose a Dalit candidate who belongs to Uttar Pradesh.
The opposition, mainly the Congress and the Left, wants to cast the presidential election as a "(Gopal) Gandhi versus Godse" battle but will now find attrition in its ranks.
As an open adherent of the saffron ideology who is conversant with the constitution, Kovind is also likely to soothe the BJP's most troublesome ally, the Shiv Sena. Said a senior opposition leader, "No party with the general elections coming up will want to be seen to be opposing a Dalit candidate."
It is also unlikely now that Gopal Gandhi, former West Bengal Governor who is the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and Trinamool Congress's chief Mamta Banerjee's favoured choice, will want to enter the contest. This is likely to isolate the Congress and the Left further as they have not been able to build consensus among other parties on a suitable candidate. A name they have considered is former speaker Meira Kumar, also a Dalit and the daughter of freedom fighter Jagjivan Ram, but it's not a candidature that will set the Yamuna afire.
Modi and Shah have shrewdly ensured that they cause a strategic split in the opposition camp while getting an ideological fellow traveler into Rashtrapati Bhavan. Shah has basically stolen a leaf out of Sonia Gandhi's play book when she pulled Pratibha Patil out of her hat as the first woman president. The symbolism ensured minimum questioning and a break in the opposition ranks with the Shiv Sena voting for her because she was from Maharashtra. The appointment turned out to be mere tokenism and a questionable choice with many scandals dotting Patil's presidency.
Make no mistake: only three people knew of the choice and one of them was in Nagpur (Shah had a final consultation with Bhagwat last week). Even with the BJP's token gesture of consulting the opposition last week, Kovind's name was not revealed.
While his selection is going to cause huge heart burn among senior members of the BJP such as Murli Manohar Joshi, Ram Naik, L K Advani, it's a logical choice for the Dalit outreach and the mission of unifying "Hindu Samaj". If elected, Kovind will ensure that Modi has a friend in Rasthrapati Bhavan while he sets about recasting his party and the country in a saffron image. more
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Oct 31
A surprise choice. In fact, we have poor knowledge about the leadership present in the country. I am sure he will make a fair, wise and purposeful President more
Jun 22
Why harp on the word Dalit? Is it for vote bank only. Firstly the President is known to have only three major responsibilities i.e Bhojnam, Bhashanam and Udghatanam. What we should be happy about is that the nominated candidate is educated and should have left behind the traces of Dalitism. How are Meira Kumar and Mayawati identifying themselves as Dalits with their resources in hand, is it only for votes and privileges and we are reluctant to talk/ discuss on these lines. Today Dalits are those who in spite of being good in academics/other extra curricular activities are not finding a place in good institutions/positions to serve the Nation which is resulting in brain drain. We the biggest arms importer are not in a position to develop a basic weapon rifle as part of "Make in India" projects for the Nation which will be imported from a foreign country which may have used an Indian brain in development of the same. The New Prsident nominee, sure to win, since we can not find any other suitable candidate because of politics and vote bank,, will only be worth if he is in a position to give chance to our intelligent new generation who are not getting opportunity to use their faculty because they are not in the list of Dalits/ backwards. Other wise we will keep having new Presidents every five years like we had in the past. I am a supporter of BJP and wish to see this change happening. LET US THINK OF BUILDING INDIA NOT VOTE BANKS. more
Jun 21
I don't want to call myself as a fan of MODIJi , if I say so, public will say I will support MODIji. The fact is I am not able to give a better option, than his selection or his decision or his approach for the last 3 years. he decided some thing better than what a neutral judges verdict more
Jun 20
Do agree it is master stoke. In fact BJP has learned from its last time failure when INDIA SHINING was made theme in their last election in spite of good show in earlier NDA rule under Atal Ji government. In fact this leading duo of BJP is following congress style of ruling by only saying this government is for poor . kisan, labor, down ridden people of society. It is playing same cast card in electing person for president, PM himself or religious card while choosing CM/other important positions. All policies & project of earlier government are being redesign with new nomenclature. We have yet to hear about serious issues concerning country employment, Kashmir problem, women safety , religious fundamentalism , living standard of middle class , infrastructure improvement, cleanliness of roads & market/ residential area etc. I do agree so far this government is clean on corruption issue. more
Jun 20
