Situation Vacant for President: Tribals Not Eligible!

Who will be the next President of India? Is it Pranab Mukherjee or Hamid Ansari! PA Sangma, sorry tribals are not eligible for the post.

As APJ Abdul Kalam pulled out of the Presidential race, it looks certain that Pranab Mukherjee is all set to become the 13^th President of India. Given the lack of supports Hamid Ansari has little prospect. The last date for filing nomination is still few days away. Anything can happen in a political situation which is characterized by the “expect the unexpected” syndrome. We have already witnessed the political drama that unfolded few days ago surrounding the presidential candidature.

However, what looks certain is that there shall be no President from the tribal communities of India. Former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma although reiterated that he is still in the fray as a tribal candidate, it is highly unlikely for him that his candidature will be backed. NCP Chief Sharad Pawar had already asked Sangma to withdraw his candidature. There is no indication of support from other political parties so far except Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The BJP is still undecided.

The country has never seen a tribal holding the office of President, Vice-President or the Prime Minister since independence. The time and setting has been the most perfect one for the political parties to go for a person from the tribal communities. There is no dearth of capable tribal leaders. Sangma is one the most fit tribal leaders at this time. The willingness shown by Sangma should have been an added advantage in view of the current indecisiveness over selection of candidature. More so, it was perhaps PA Sangma, among the tribals, who reached the farthest in terms of high political office in the country when he became the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

If a person from the Scheduled Castes and religious minorities can hold high offices, why not a tribal? Tribals are equally capable enough to hold high offices given a chance. Further, PA Sangma as the President would have been the most important stride in the backdrop of racial discrimination and alienation being faced by the people from the northeast India.