Unfazed by the avalanche of controversy surrounding Pratibha Patil, the UPA-Left candidate for the presidential poll, the CPI(M) on Thursday expressed confidence that she will become the the first woman President of the country.
Says the President should have relinquished his post gracefully like his predecessors
NEW DELHI: Unfazed by the avalanche of controversy surrounding Pratibha Patil, the UPA-Left candidate for the presidential poll, the CPI(M) on Thursday expressed confidence that she will become the the first woman President of the country. The Left party also did not leave any opportunity to take pot shots at incumbent President APJ Abdul Kalam.
The CPI(M) ridiculed Kalam’s bid for a second-term provided there was “certainty” of his victory. They also criticised NDA’s flip-flop over whether they should go for Kalam of Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.
"The number of emails required to jam a personal computer may not be sufficient as the number of votes required, say, to win a municipal ward election. Dr. Kalam should have gracefully relinquished office as all his previous illustrious predecessors had done", the party said.
Reports suggest that Dr Kalam couldn't resist the temptation of seeking a second term as he was overwhelmed by the response he received in cyber space for continuing as the President, said in an editorial in CPI(M) mouthpiece People's Democracy.
It said, finally, however, Dr Kalam was forced to see the reality. The UNPA, in all probability, may abstain from voting -- consistent with its stand of not supporting either a Congress or a BJP nominee.
Even the UNPA leaders were surprised when the incumbent President agreed, but with a caveat, the PD said adding "he said he would contest only if there was a certainty of victory - an unusual condition in a democratic election!"
Lashing out at the NDA for its "manoeuvres", the party said it is a sad commentary on the standards of political morality in India today. On this score as well, the future President will have to set new benchmarks that will serve our country and people well.
The Left parties had set forth three criteria that the future president of India should possess — he/she should be a person well versed with the political complexities of the present times; should be a person with impeccable secular credentials; and should be a person capable of maintaining the balance between the executive, legislature and the judiciary as mandated by our Constitution. “While many experienced and mature leaders would fulfil these criteria, the CPI(M) had said that it would support the person on whom there would be the widest possible agreement amongst political parties. Eventually, such a wide acceptance came around Pratibha Patil, the governor of Rajasthan,” the party said.
In this entire process, the principal opposition party — the BJP and the NDA — emerged more inconsistent and opportunistic than what is usually ascribed to them, it said.
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