The CPI (M) on Thursday reiterated its support for UPA-Left’s Presidential candidate Pratibha Patil but steered clear of the allegations leveled against her by the BJP.
The party said that Patil met the three criteria it had laid down for the next President – well versed with the current political situation in the country, impeccable secular credentials and should be a person capable of maintaining the balance between the executive, legislature and the judiciary.
In the latest editorial of its mouthpiece, People’s Democracy, the CPI (M) said that it had decided to support a candidate around whom the widest possible consensus would evolve. ``Eventually, such a wide acceptance came around Pratibha Patil, the Governor of Rajasthan,’’ the editorial said.
The editorial, however, did not mention any of the allegations of corruption and of being a superstitious person against Patil. Prakash Karat, CPI (M) general secretary, had said on Tuesday that ``being an atheist was not one of the criteria laid down’’ by the Left. The Left parties have also refused to comment on any of the corruption charges against her and her family.
The Party also had criticism in store for President APJ Abdul Kalam for being ready to contest a second time if there was a ``certainty’’ over his victory.
The editorial said Kalam seemed to have been ``overwhelmed’’ by the net response he received to fight a second time. ``In this context, it must be underlined that the President of India is President of Indian citizens, and not just for netizens who constitute a miniscule minority of Indian citizens. Further, the number of emails required to jam a personal computer may not be sufficient as the number of votes required, say, to win a municipal ward election. Dr Kalam should have gracefully relinquished officer as all his previous illustrious predecessors had done,’’ the editorial said.
{{/usCountry}}The editorial said Kalam seemed to have been ``overwhelmed’’ by the net response he received to fight a second time. ``In this context, it must be underlined that the President of India is President of Indian citizens, and not just for netizens who constitute a miniscule minority of Indian citizens. Further, the number of emails required to jam a personal computer may not be sufficient as the number of votes required, say, to win a municipal ward election. Dr Kalam should have gracefully relinquished officer as all his previous illustrious predecessors had done,’’ the editorial said.
{{/usCountry}}The editorial added that there was never any question of the Left parties to support Kalam as they had put up a candidate against him in 2002 as well.
spatranobis@hindustantimes.com