An irrational fear

As the rush for the Presidential nomination comes into its last lap on this tenth day of June 2012, I am gripped with an irrational fear. Right now, everyone expects Pranab Mukherjee to be nominated as the President candidate from the UPA camp. The chorus has been so shrill that I think even Pranab believes it, it is not difficult to see him suppressing a smile of pleasure whenever quizzed about this issue, but perhaps I am imagining it.

I have long maintained that keeping in line with the policy of the current leadership of the Congress it is virtually impossible for anybody with some independent thought and some spine to be nominated to any post that puts the Congress leadership in its cross-hairs. So there is no way that Pranab (who is already singed by the Congress in the inter-office memo leak scandal) will be put into that position. There is an exception to this in my view and that is, if UPA expects mid-term elections or is planning to call them itself, then Pranab will be nominated. Even then chances are slim.

Now I come to my irrational fear and it is this. Sonia or whoever is advising her is a master politician and manipulator of human emotions in my view. I do not mean this deridingly; this is a must in politics now-a-days, sad as the situation is. Its so far fetched that I am just going to say it and justify it later:

Sonia may nominate LK Advani as the Presidential candidate.

I know. Hold your horses. This is the logic. There are many cogent reasons that can be given to justify LKA’s ascension as the president: veteran politician etc etc. But this will be a political masterstroke that can rend the BJP overnight. BJP simply lacks the intellectual prowess to counter this move, perhaps? Already LKA is seething at being sidelined in the BJP. The NDA government where he was the second most senior leader was notorious in letting the ‘first family’ off in multiple matters. By making him President, Sonia makes him wedded to protecting the family again out of obligation. Makes him closer to the Congress and perhaps may cast a less than generous look to a Narendra Modi headed government formation bid. BJP will have little option but to support, if it doesn’t, then the party will be broken into two camps immediately leaving it less than able to meet the challenges of an election effectively.

Anyway, will not lengthen this further, I have put my worst case scenario across. All the moves and the motivations above are conjecture, imagination and works of fiction. I am merely putting an extreme remote possibility across and expressing my opinion. I believe this is not liable for any sort of legal action.