'Vice-president need not be a politician'

NEW DELHI: CPM general secretary Prakash Karat on Thursday laid down his party’s criteria for the selection of the next vice-president (VP) by asserting that “the candidate need not have a political background”. Mr Karat’s statement, made during an interview to a TV channel, assumes importance as the Left is expected to suggest the ruling front’s vice-presidential nominee.

After Congress’ Prathibha Patil was chosen to be the UPA-Left presidential candidate, the leaders of the ruling side agreed to the Left selecting the vice-presidential candidate. This was read as a sign that the Left would put up its own candidate, though there was no clarity on how it would work around its stated position against accepting an “executive post” in the government.

This was the reason why it had refused to put up a candidate for the president’s post. The VP is expected to stand-in for the president in the latter’s absence.

Mr Karat’s words now suggest that the Left could choose a candidate who does not have a political background but opt for someone from within the fold. Asked by a TV channel if he wanted a Left VP, Mr Karat said: “According to us, the vice-president, like the president, should be someone with an exemplary record in some field and should have the widest acceptance.”

When probed whether he meant it was not necessary for the candidate to be from Left, Mr Karat added: “We have said the candidate need not have a political background. It should be someone who has made a contribution.”

He went on to say that the role of the VP was not to make rules or policies. “He can belong to any party. What we said with regard to the Presidential candidate does not hold for the VP,” he said. According to the CPM leader, discussions for the vice-presidential elections would happen around 19 July, the date of the presidential poll.

Mr Karat’s statement suggests that the Left’s selection process for the VP could bypass practising politicians. This would mean that CPI general secretary AB Bardhan, whose name has been doing the rounds as the Left’s VP candidate, is unlikely to show interest in the post.

At the same time, the possible candidature of a Left-leaning intellectual, like Jamia Millia Islamia Vice Chancellor, Mushirul Hasan, could get strengthened — although there is no word from the eminent historian, or others academicians whose names are being discussed, on wanting the job.

The CPM seems to have decided on different qualifications for the presidential and the vice-presidential candidates. For the president’s post, the CPM had laid down that the candidate should have “a political background and firm secular credentials”. It had also said that the future President should be able to “exercise judgement to maintain the balance between the Parliament, executive and the judiciary”.