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It is now becoming increasingly clear that the chances of APJ Abdul Kalam being elected as the next President of India are thin. Till recently, the common wisdom was that the Congress and its allies did not want him because he had been appointed by the previous NDA regime and that his supporters would put him up as their candidate. Now, with even Atal Bihari Vajpayee letting it be known, in his usual oblique way, that the NDA cannot back him, Kalam’s chances have receded.

At no stage did Kalam announce that he was in the race, but there was enough speculation that Barkis was willing. But now, with Mayawati confabulating with Sonia Gandhi and other candidates sniffing around for support, the race for an
alternative has well and truly begun.

Some have argued that it would be best if there was a consensus rather than a contest, but there is no reason this should be so. In the past, there have been contests —VV Giri fought Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy in 1969 and won against all odds. That is how things are in a democracy. For the moment, however, we don’t know how it will shape up over the next few weeks. What is certain is that come August, India will have its 12th President and it won’t be President Kalam, unless a miracle happens somewhere along the way.

India’s system of electing the President is a complicated one, involving an electoral college that comprises all other elected Parliamentarians, legislators and the population of the state. You and I are represented by our elected representatives who vote, ostensibly, on our behalf, though obviously they cannot reflect everyone’s views. In the system our founding fathers selected, it was deemed that the President reflected the people’s choice even if everyone did not participate directly and in all these years and decades, no one has thought much about it.

But now, probably for the first time, we are seeing the possibility of a hiatus between the two; while MPs and MLAs are getting ready to cast their votes, as far as the people are concerned, their nominee is the incumbent, APJ Abdul Kalam. Never has a President so lived up to the sobriquet of being a ‘people’s President’ as he has and no holder of that post has proved to be a match to his popularity.

In the nearly five years that Kalam has been President, he has managed to become a kind of icon to vast swathes of the Indian population, especially to the urban middle-class and to the youth. Even those who have no interest in the country’s politics or, think of politicians as venal and corrupt if they think of them at all, have genuine admiration and regard for Kalam.

What explains his rock-star like status? Apart from his trendy locks, for most Indians, it is his personal achievements rather than political ones that have caught their attention. Politically, his term has been largely uneventful and non-controversial, barring the somewhat unedifying episode when he was rushed into signing a proclamation for Presidential rule in Bihar. But that is and was too remote an issue for the rest of the country.

The rest of the time, Kalam has been seen more as a tech-savvy visionary who talks of his plans for India and wants it to become big and powerful. He replies to messages by e-mail and writes poems which can be read on his website. Here’s one, titled Song of youth:

As a young citizen of India, armed with technology, knowledge and love for my nation, I realise, small aim is a crime. I will work and sweat for a great vision, the vision of transforming India into a developed nation, powered by economic strength with value system. I am one of the citizens of the billion; Only the vision will ignite the billion souls.

Not Eliot, maybe, but who can deny a President writing poetry is cool?

For a nation largely composed of young, restless souls who want to rush towards a future that they feel will undoubtedly belong to India, what better role model than someone who talks about achievement rather than failures, opportunities and challenges rather than problems.
Kalam’s many critics have pointed out that he has the geek’s fascination for technology, which he feels is the quick fix for all social and physical problems; he reduces every complex situation to a power-point presentation, they claim.

Perhaps. After all, it is only history that can judge such things dispassionately. For the moment, however, Kalam is ‘It’ for his many young champions and for the first time, a Presidential election is exciting comment over and beyond politicians and political junkies.

Kalam may not make it back to Raisina Hill, but left to themselves, many Indians would vote him in any day. Yet, they are wondering why, if he is so popular, he is not getting another chance. To that, the only answer is -- politics, alas, does not always work this way.

Email: sidharth01@dnaindia.net