I cannot fathom the hullabaloo made over the recent choices for the post of President of India in the run up to the elections for the coveted post. The President is just a titular head of the Government, an euphemism for what in actual terms may be referred to as a rubber stamp, and in fact cannot stamp his authority over matters grave and serious. What we are witnessing is just a prestige issue as the various parties are just vying with each other to collect brownie points to get their protege elected.
I should mention here that the President should be invested with more sweeping powers and he should have his say on crucial issues.
What he should be divested of should be his right to grant clemency to terrorists and traitors who are languishing in the jails because of his ambivalence
and dragging of feet! I must state here that the only awe inspiring Presidents that we had were Dr Rajendra Prasad, Dr S Radhakrishnan and to a certain extent Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, all anointed with the epaulette of ‘Doctor’ and were certainly what the doctor ordered. I fervently hope that we have such noble men of their stature donning this mantle.
— Hemant Hemmady, Virar
Race for the President’s post is on for sometime. We cannot come to a consensus even on a common agenda then how can we expect to take up passing bills in the Parliament smoothly. Even though the Presidential race has reached the final lap, confusion prevails as UPA’s alliance parties are having a say over the Congress Party. UPA clings to power with a thin majority and parties like DMK and TMC are having a solid hand over the Government and dictate terms often on different issues. This time round, President’s election is on the cards and a new candidate has to be put up before 30th of this month. Mamata Banerjee is having a big say in the choice of the President. Perhaps she may not like to have Pranab Mukherjee as he hails from Bengal and so, as President he will have upper hand among the Bengalis and Didi does not want to lose her grip. The meeting with Sonia Gandhi is one such move to stick to her stand and the meeting is considered to be crucial at the present moment.
— S. Ramaniam, Sanpada
Lot of tug-of-war and bickerings are going on among the political parties to select a suitable candidate for the post of President of India election which is scheduled for the month of July and it has been observed that the post of President has become the business and blackmailing of regional parties to Congress Party to get maximum package benefit for their states and personal choice. It has been observed that both Mamata Banerjee and Mulayam Singh Yadav of Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party respectively are playing dirty politics and making a mockery of the prestigious post of President and its election and are not coming to a solution or compromise with the Congress. I strongly feel that this is the first time in the history of our country that election to the post of President of India has become the laughing stock in the eyes of the people, which results in lowering the image of President’s post and its importance. All the political parties must keep their differences aside and co-operate with each other to elect the an able President for next five years.
— Bhagwan Thadani, Mumbai