BJP did play its trump card and the master stroke saw Ram Nath Govind is picked for President’s post. The decision was a closed secret between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the party chief Amit Shah for over two months. It shows how the candidature was picked to make most of the present political situation. So, the saffron party played its card close to its chest and the opposition have no voice as no one is having guts to object the candidature of a Dalit rights crusader. Modi-Shah ace took the opposition by surprise and Shiv Sena took an objection as in the past to show their resentment. Later on the party backed BJP’s candidate. At present most of the opposition parties will find it difficult to oppose BJP’s Dalit nominee due to political equations. The move will also see the ruling BJP’s reach out to Dalit communities ahead of 2019 elections. BJP needs 2 per cent votes more in the electoral college to send Kovind to Rashtrapati Bhavan. Thus, NDA has a clean edge over Congress and the main opposition is crying foul. Both Mamata Banerjee and CPI can make adverse comments but no one will care as a Dalit candidate is a one horse race from hereon.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
