Woman President for India? It’s a possibility!

So Shivraj Patil is out (phew!) and Karan Singh is out too(ok). Pratibha Patil has emerged (or has been sprung) as the UPA consensus candidate. Theoretically and numerically, she could win the race and become the first woman to occupy the Rashtrapathi Bhavan. As someone cracked in these pages, she could be our first Rashtrapatni She seems to have a lot of plus points for the post.
[1] She is a political person. She was member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from ‘62 to ‘85. She has been elected to the Lok Sabha. She has been elected to the Rajya Sabha and was the Deputy Chairperson for two years. In fact, she never lost an election through her political career.
[2] She has been a staunch Congress supporter. She was Maharashtra Congress chief from ‘88 to ‘90. She went into political hibernation after her Lok Sabha tenure ended around ‘95.
[3] She was recalled in 2004 to become the Governor of Rajasthan. Her refusal to sign the anti-conversion bill pleased her political bosses in Delhi immensely. Probably a huge point in her favour.
A woman parliamentarian, a governor, a Congresswoman. Wow!
This is how I look at the whole scenario. Hindsight, no doubt, but it looks so obvious now. I do think her candidature was decided when she was asked to occupy the governor’s bungalow in Jaipur. Else, why would the Congress party dig out a 70-year-old woman for that office?
Two years roll by. It’s time to announce the names of Presidential hopefuls. The GOP (Grand Old Party) of India lets out the worst possible names anyone can think of. Pranab Mukherjee’s name is floated around but before it gains credence the man is put in charge of the charade to follow.
Why this multi-act play? To get the Left to agree to the candidacy. The Congress knew (everyone knew) that the Left must be given a chance to reject the Congress candidate to get them to agree to a unanimous decision. They would do it anyway, to establish their importance, to get those brownie points with the media and pump air into their egos.
So, they are allowed to reject the dummy candidates, and once they do that, out they’d bring Pratibha Patil. It’ would be difficult to reject her. She has the qualifications they had put down as conditions. A political person with a good record. Has been toeing the Congress line without being too aggressive toward the opposition. But most importantly, she is far superior to the ones proposed first.
If you are a reader of Wodehouse, you’ll know the “psychology” behind it. The girl Medeleine Bassett, I think, is in love with a guy her family does not approve of. So she is advised to do the following. She goes to her people and announces that she’s going to marry Bertie Wooster. The family is aghast. That no-good, dumbhead waster? they cry. No dear, that would break our heart! Anyone but him! Ha, ha! says Madeleine, and gives her (second) choice. The family agrees at once. Anyone but that guy BW! Soon all is well!
Cut to the present. Left rejects the first names, and with MK as witness, Congress proposes Pratibha Patil. A relieved Left agrees. The others are relieved too. More so because the Left does not have a candidate of its own.
Pratibha was chosen for one more reason. It’s well-known the NDA would support BS Shekhawat, a politician from the single-colour side of the political spectrum. Pratibha is married to Devisingh Ramsingh Shekhawat, a Rajasthani. So it’s Shekhawat vs Shekhawat if it comes to a contest.
But who can say “no” to a woman Prez? Not me. Pratibha wins my vote for an important reason. She excelled in sports as a school girl. A Prez interested in sports! And she is a lawyer by profession. That’s great too. She was educated at a time when a lot of women did not go to college. Obviously she grew up in a household with progressive views. Yes, if you think of the bunch in contention, Pratibha is definitely a better choice.
See, I’m falling into the psycho net too!