As the news flooded the newsroom that Pratibha Patil, a relatively unfamiliar, yet veteran political figure in national politics was declared the UPA-Left consensus presidential candidate to the Rashtrapati Bhawan, it dawned on us that Sonia Gandhi, in her defeat, had emerged victorious. Perceptive politics, multi-pronged diplomacy and hard creative negotiations had broken the impasse. It took some searching to finally trace Patil’s long track record as an industrious and clean worker, who through sheer dedication and commitment to her work had climbed the political ladder.
The news sure did catch all of us off-guard. For days the newsroom was fed with constant information of the hectic parleys and intense closed-door negotiations that centered on a ‘few good men’ to replace the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, who completes his tenure as President of India on July 24. Over the last few days, it had been quite apparent that Sonia’s support for Home Minister Shivraj Patil as top contender to be the next ceremonial head of India has intensified, so much so that the possibilities of a consensus candidate seemed quite improbable.
The resolute stand of the Left, possibly in more ways than one forced upon a situation that could well take Indian politics into uncharted territories, by providing an opportunity where it could have for the first time a woman president. The Left leaders had repeatedly insisted on a presidential candidate with ‘impeccable secular credentials, understanding of political complexities and who could ensure balance between the judiciary, Parliament and the executive.’ Apparently, Shivraj Patil did not fit this bill for the Left, and hence alternative options became necessary.
With time running out, it needed a gracious face-saving exit; and to ensure that Congress still had the initiative in its court, the need for a strong new alternative candidate became vital. It has been widely reported that the original choice of a woman candidate for both Sonia and Manmohan was noted Gandhian Nirmala Deshpande. There was even some sort of a political consensus around this name, but Deshpande’s age, reportedly, went against her, and the search for the illusive name continued.
It has been reported that Pratibha Patil’s name came up in the last hour of the meeting, when all other names had run dry. The reasons behind Pratibha’s candidacy remain relatively obscure; but that does not seem to matter any more. The novelty of India having her first woman president has quickly caught the public imagination, and the thought that it could well shake the patriarchal system at Rashtrapati itself is an idea worthy in itself. No wonder, Sonia’s defeat turned into victory and she could proudly declared “It is a matter of pride and a historic moment …..”
