Former president Pranab Mukherjee recently attended RSS event and that created tremors in political circles across the country. Several analyst and political parties still analysing Pranab Mukherjee attending this event and his speech and interpreting it in their own way. In an editorial in the party’s mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena said RSS’ has an agenda in inviting former president and Congress veteran leader Pranab Mukherjee to their event and it would be revealed during the coming next year’s general election.
It wrote, former president Pranab Mukherjee could be the consensus candidate for the Prime Minister’s post if the BJP fails to garner a majority in the 2019 general elections. By inviting Pranab to their event, RSS was able to send the message across the country that, RSS or even BJP he is not against Congress or Congress men but it is only against Gandhi family dynasty politics, Shiva sena said. It is known to every one that, several parties in the country are against Modi’s autocratic ruling and they may oppose Modis’ Prime ministerial candidature. So, BJP may want to have someone who is capable and acceptable to all political parties as prime minister candidate. Pranab’s visit to the RSS event had evoked sharp responses, with several leaders of his party, including his daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee and Congress’s top man Ahmed Patel, criticising this decision. But Shivasena slammed Congress for making a fool of itself by trying to stop Mukherjee’s visit.
Now the question is – “Can president of india again join politics after his tenure in office is over?”
Answer is – yes, they can. constitution is silent on this. But after working as president of India, so far no one has come back to active politics in India. Post of President is the top most post in the country. Former Presidents are hence treated with dignity and decorum. They are given very high level in the protocol of respect and reception.So, even though Indian Constitution doesn’t say anything directly on this, it has been a norm that after working as president of India President of India, to retain the honour for that post, they will not come back to active politics where criticizing others and getting criticized is daily affair .
It is very common to see governors, after the term in office is over, coming back to active politics and becoming Central ministers our chief ministers at the state. But, compared to governor post, the post of first citizen of the country is much bigger one and so far there is no precedent on former presidents coming back to active politics. It has to be reminded that, various commissions like Sarkaria and Poonch commission recommended even governor post to be given to people from non political background or at least to the people who are not in active politics in the recent years.
We will have to wait and see if there is any truth in this interpretation and also he Pranab Mukherjee changes the tradition for his ambition of becoming Prime Minister of India. But if he comes back to active politics the first criticism he will get is – he is spoiling the owner of the position of President of India for his personal ambitions.
-ZURAN
