BJP’s candidate will be the next President, but the election is important for the opposition
BJP’s candidate will be the next President, but the election is important for the opposition
With the term of President Ram Nath Kovind ending on July 24, the process of electing his successor has started. Election commission announcement on Thursday. The electoral college for the Presidential election has 4,809 members, including 233 Rajya Sabha and 543 Lok Sabha members and 4,033 MLAs from state legislatures. Each member has a fixed vote value based on the strength of the population it represents. Voting is on July 18. The value of the total votes will be: 10,86,431. The BJP-led NDA has a tally of 5,25,706, nearly 20,000 votes short of the majority mark, but there is no doubt that its candidates will occupy the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Biju Janata Dal with 31,686 votes and YSR Congress with 43,450 votes have extended their full support to the government. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik on May 30 and YSR Congress chief and Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy met the PM on June 2, reportedly casting their vote for the BJP’s choice for the highest post.
Even if the outcome was predicted, the contest would have multiple layers of political connotation and symbolism, and would therefore be keenly watched by the country and the world. The new president will take office at a time when the country is facing severe religious polarization and other challenges. This is the second presidential election where legislators from Jammu and Kashmir will not participate, but the first after it became a union territory in 2019. In the nomination of Mr. Kovind, a Dalit from Hridaybhoomi, the BJP had sent a political message five years ago. It will certainly be another one this year, which is being eagerly speculated as to what will be the BJP’s strategy in the 2024 general election. Presidential election will also take place a test for the opposition In terms of its unity, leadership and talking points. The Congress has the most votes among non-BJP parties, but it has the lowest acceptance among other parties in a long time. TRS chief and Telangana CM, K Chandrashekhar Rao, and TMC leader and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, want to lead the opposition alliance and are therefore unwilling to give leadership to the Congress, though they have not made any public statements. on the question. AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has been continuously attacking the BJP, is equally opposed to the Congress. Keeping these divergent views and conflicting ambitions in mind, it would be a tall order for the opposition to work out a united front and coherent strategy. All told, the presidential election will be a demonstration of how political forces combine in the country.