Is Pranab Mukherjee the Best Candidate for President of India?

After high drama the Congress party has nominated Pranab Mukherjee for the President of India. The President under the Indian constitution has ' latent' powers, though in everyday affairs he is bound to act on the advice of the Prime Minister. But the role of the President assumes great importance in case the country faces an internal or external emergency. In such scenario the constitution of India gives sweeping powers to the President of India. The President dissolve Parliament and remove the Prime minister. The President is also the head of the Indian armed forces.

The President is thus a very important figure. Its a pity that some of the occupants of Raisana Hill have been men and women of poor standing. The last incumbent Ms Pritabha Patil brought the office of the President to the nadir by contributing a big zero inall matters. The only legacy of Ms Patil are travel bills running into hundreds of crores of rupees.

In such a scenario with the Indian state facing rampant corruption with 40% of cabinet ministers involved in facing corruption charges and looting the nation and rampant inflation and negative growth, the Indian state needs a man who can guide the nation. Unfortunately Pranab is not that man. His track shows that in almost 25 years as cabinet minister he has done precious little to help the nation.

Pranab as finance minister was given a list by the French and Italian governments of Indians who have stashed black money abroad. Despite a Supreme Court ruling he has not made the list public. The real reason is that many in the list are from the Congress party. Pranab has also been hobnobbing with corrupt and tainted Congress ministers. Not a quality for a President of India.

Pranab Mukherjee thus does not inspire confidence. He will just tow the line laid down by Sonia Gandhi and the Congress. With the country's economy in dire straits and 30% of territory controlled by Maoists in Central India, Pranab is not the man for the job. Its about time the Indian people revolted against this charade of Ms Sonia Gandhi.