Mumtaz Alam,
New Delhi, June 13: With certainty, one can’t say ‘No’. As neither the ruling alliance nor the Opposition have announced their candidates for the next month presidential election, the possibility of current Vice President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari emerging as a consensus candidate for President remains.
Seasoned diplomat and author Ansari, while acting as Vice President for the last two consecutive terms, has remained largely neutral though both times he was made candidate by the previous Congress-led UPA alliance – first in 2007 and then in 2012.
Former Indian Foreign Service officer of 1961 batch, Ansari turned 80 this past April and his term as 14th Vice President will end in the coming August. He was born in April 1937 in Kolkata. Despite age, he is one the fittest top constitutional representatives in the country today. Moreover, he is one of the most articulate and informed functionaries of high positions.
Besides initial hiccups after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in May 2014, relations between the PMO and Vice President have been fine and cordial.
In the last three years of Modi regime, Ansari has represented Government of India at various global for and visited dozens of countries.
The Congress had held a meeting of Opposition leaders last week to discuss the presidential election of the country but left the announcement of their candidate till the ruling alliance makes one and hinted at a consensus between the government and Opposition.
This Monday, ruling BJP’s president Amit Shah also constituted a committee to discuss probable candidates with allies and Opposition.
The last date for nominations is June 28 and polls will be held on July 17.
So far, neither the government nor the Opposition have named probable candidates, and thus the likelihood of a dark horse is bright.
With an eye on the 2019 General Elections which PM Modi cannot afford to fight on communal issues as he didn’t the 2014 polls, he may be thinking about some things that widen his reach.
Positions held by Ansari since he began his career at the age of 24:
— Joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1961 and served in Indian missions in Baghdad, Rabat, Jeddah and Brussels;
— Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (1976-1979);
— Chief of Protocol to Govt. of India (1980-1985);
— High Commissioner to Australia (1985-1989);
— Ambassador to Afghanistan (1989-1990);
— Ambassador to Iran (1990-1992);
— Permanent Representative to the UN, New York (1993-1995);
— Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (1995-1999);
— Visiting Professor, Centre for West Asian and African Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (Dec 1999-May 2000);
— Vice-Chancellor, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh (2000-2002);
— Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi (2002-2006);
— Visiting Professor, Academy for Third World Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi (2003-2005);
— Co – Chairman, India-U.K. Round Table (2004-2006);
— Member, National Security Advisory Board (2004-2006);
— Chairman, Advisory Committee for Oil Diplomacy, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (2004-2005);
— Chairman, Working Group on ‘Confidence building measures across segments of society in the State’, established by the second Round Table Conference of the Prime Minister on Jammu and Kashmir, held at Srinagar, 24-25 May, 2006; the report of the Working Group was adopted by the 3rd Round Table held at New Delhi, 24 April 2007;
— Chairman, Fifth Statutory National Commission for Minorities (March 2006-July 2007);
— Thirteenth Vice President of India and ex officio Chairman, Rajya Sabha from 11th August 2007 to 10th August, 2012.
— Re-elected as Fourteenth Vice President of India and ex officio Chairman, Rajya Sabha on 11th August, 2012. (Source: vicepresidentofindia.nic.in)
—
The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. IndiaTomorrow.net is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article may not reflect the views of IndiaTomorrow.net and IndiaTomorrow.net does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
