Unknown even to most politicians, the choice of the next President of the republic had become a negotiating chip between backers of Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and Congress President Sitaram Kesari. Gowdas men suggested over the last few weeks that Kesari could take the largely ceremonial top job instead of eyeing South Block.
The lid was finally put on that exercise on Sunday, when senior United Front leader GK Moopanar stated that Vice-president KR Narayanan should be the next President. Moopanars unexpected statement brought the elections for a new President and Vice-president, due this summer, into public focus for the first time, although a number of politicians had already begun to lobby informally.
Most of those in the race are from the Congress fold but Gowda had apparently hoped to persuade Kesari himself to accept. The electoral college, which consists of all legislators, is splintered, but a pact between the United Front and the Congress would see a candidate safely through.
Senior Congress leaders reveal that three aides of Gowda, including a cabinet minister, conveyed feelers to one of Kesaris top aides. They are said to have told Kesaris aide that vacancies for a number of very important posts were coming up, including the Presidency.
A senior politician says that one of Gowdas emissaries said Kesari could name his choice for the post of Vice-president too.
Kesari is said to have contemptuously rejected the offers. A senior Congress leader says that one of Kesaris supporters countered that Gowda could become the President, thus clearing the way for Kesari to be the Prime Minister.
Now that there is almost certainly not going to be a deal over the offices of President and Prime Minister, Narayanans elevation will be difficult to stop, particularly since he is from a scheduled caste.
A large group of scheduled caste MPs had vigorously lobbied for the election of a President from a scheduled caste in 1992 and had been assured by the leaders of various political parties that Narayanan would be unanimously elected as vice-president and be elevated for the next term.
Political circles say that the leaders of various parties have been given the impression that President SD Sharma would not be averse to continuing, despite his ill-health. Most political parties are said to have responded coldly to the idea.
The BJPs refusal yesterday to endorse Narayanans candidature indicated that the party wants to keep its options open, but a number of senior politicians have already begun to lobby for Narayanans current job, in the belief that his elevation is almost certain.
At a time when womens votes have begun to matter to politicians across the board, some senior politicians say that Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Najma Heptulla could emerge as a consensus choice for vice-president. She is not only a highly educated woman, but also belongs to a minority community. No woman has ever been the President or Vice-president of India.
Former Union minister Salman Khurshid is said to have spoken to some politicians about the possible candidature of his father, Karnataka Governor Khurshid Alam Khan. Gowda and Union minister CM Ibrahim are said to have promised when they were running the Karnataka government that they would back Khan. However, he has not been in good health of late.
A prominent figure from the legal world is also said to be interested. Former Chief Justice of India M Hidayatullah had become the vice-president after he retired from the judiciary.
Some senior Tamil Nadu politicians have been sounded about the possible candidature of C Subramaniam, a former Union minister and Governor. His advanced age is likely to go against him, though. Plus, if the President and the Prime Minister are both from the south, there would be a strong arguement for a north Indian vice-president. Consensus will need to be the key to the exercise since no single party, or even any political grouping such as the United Front, has enough votes in the electoral college to determine the choice of the next President. The election is by a complex system,, which gives all the MPs votes together as much weightage as all the MLAs votes.
