Who will be the next President of India? Like always, no one knows, but Modi

With the term of the 13th President of India Pranab Mukherjee coming to an end in July this year, the race for the top job is on.

Following impressive victories in the recent assembly elections the BJP is in a position of being able to choose the candidate of its choice, given its total strength in the Electoral College, where it would only need support from either the Biju Janata Dal or the AIADMK.

The only problem is, the names of those in the race keep getting thrown out, for one reason or the other, as soon as they are talked about.

First came the ones from the ruling party, the BJP's patriarch L K Advani; then Murli Manohar Joshi, even Uma Bharti's name was mentioned in hushed tones. All three could be considered serious choices, especially Advani, given his long political career and stature in the party. But all three seem distant possibilities following the Supreme Court ordering a trial against them in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

Then came the 'outsiders', Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat, being the most controversial of them yet. His name was put forward by the Shiv Sena and would have gone far in propagating the image of a Hindu Rashtra so espoused for by the RSS. But was dismissed as soon it was mentioned by Bhagwat ruling himself out.

The latest pitch for the post made by the Shiv Sena was for the Nationalist Congress Party chief, Sharad Pawar, with the support of the party in Maharashtra being a benefit for the ruling dispensation in the state and the Centre. But sources that OneIndia contacted dismissed this as a highly unlikely possibility.

Away from politics, the name of Bollywood superstar and former MP, Amitabh Bachchan, was also being thrown around as a consensus candidate, but was quickly forgotten following his name figuring in the Panama Papers controversy.

Finally came the name of Rajinikanth, the superstar from Tamil Nadu, which is under consideration if the buzz around Delhi and the actor's state are to be taken seriously.

The choice would not only be considered a consensus candidate but also go far in projecting India as a soft power similar to how the previous NDA governments choice to make missile man APJ Abdul Kalam the president had showcased India's military might.

It would also be a big help for the BJP when it comes to raking up support in Tamil Nadu, not just with the AIADMK for the president's election but also with the state's voters given the party's effort to garner a foothold there.

Other than who might replace him, talk of President Mukherjee getting a second term is also doing the rounds. But the chances of this taking place seem low given that except the first president of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, no incumbent has been re-elected.

So for all the names thrown into the mix and mentioned in the media, nobody seems to be the wiser as to who might be the favourites for the post. Forget the favourites, with the election around the corner it seems clear that at present no one but the BJP leadership of Narendra Modi and the party president Amit Shah are privy to even the names that are under consideration by those who matter.

This might be considered rare given older regimes but is not very surprising given the prime minister's style of functioning, whether in government decisions or party matters.

The only safe bet at the moment seems to be a surprise choice which would send a message that the PM Modi wants to send. What that message would be is anyone's guess.

OneIndia News