Readers tell us whether Mohan Bhagwat should be India’s next president

The Shiv Sena — the BJP's non-consenting ally at the Centre and in Maharashtra — wants RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to be the next president of the country.

"We hear that the name of Mohan Bhagwat is being considered and if so, I think it is right and the BJP should consider his name," Sanjay Raut, lawmaker and executive editor of Saamna was quoted as saying by the NDTV.

Saying that Bhagwat will be good choice to make India a “Hindu Rashtra”, Raut was quick to add that Sena's final decision will be taken only by party chief Uddhav Thackeray.

"One should speak to Uddhavji, who is in Mumbai. If you want our support for this candidate (Bhagwat) for the president's post, do come to Mumbai and meet Uddhavji," he said.

President Pranab Mukherjee's term is drawing to a close on July end, and with that new names of probables have started doing the rounds.

The names of veteran BJP leader LK Advani and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj are also doing the rounds as candidates for Presidential polls. It is believed that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar is also in the race. Bollywood veteran Amitabh Bachchan’s name is also believed to be in consideration.

The Sena, however, seems to have something else on mind as it proposed Bhagwat’s name even though the RSS appeared “not so interested”.

“The RSS chief is someone who has dedicated his whole life to the organisation and the nation. He would not like to be tied down by administrative and protocol constraints, which a person in the president’s post is expected to follow,” Pramod Bapat, RSS Konkan region Prachar Pramukh (publicity chief) was quoted as saying by the Mumbai Mirror.

Interestingly, the BJP's landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand though has improved its numbers in the electoral college - which chooses the president - it’s not enough.

The electoral college comprises 776 parliamentarians and 4,120 legislators. Its total strength is 10,98,882 votes and the halfway mark is 5,49,442 votes. (The value of each MP vote is 708, and that of an MLA's is 175). But the BJP is still short of 20,000 votes.

The Sena, on the other hand, has a total value of votes at 25,893 with 21 MPs - 18 from Lok Sabha and three from Rajya Sabha - and 63 MLA’s from the state of Maharashtra. This makes Shiv Sena vote important.

In the last two Presidential polls, the Sena voted for a Congress candidate - Pratibha Patil and Pranab Mukherjee.

Although allies, the Sena and the BJP have had an uneasy relationship. Political observers believe the troubled relationship between the two parties has led the Sena to make such an announcement, possibly to steal the BJP’s thunder.

The relations between the two parties worsened after the Mumbai civic elections. In the run-up to polls, Thackeray had announced that his party would never enter an alliance with the BJP in future.

Notwithstanding the Sena-BJP ties and the politics behind the presidential polls, we asked our readers whether they think Mohan Bhagwat is the right candidate to be the first citizen of the country. Here’s what they said:

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DailyO readers weigh in

Divyendu Saha: It’s a ploy to divide the RSS-BJP unity. If the BJP makes Bhagwat the president of India it will dent the BJP's credibility, but if it doesn’t then it will create a divide between the BJP and RSS. If the Hindutva guys are sensible they would understand that the Shiv Sena is no longer the same party as under Bal Thackeray... Uddhav is jealous and corrupt. So, our Hindutva boys should focus more on development and important issues rather than getting divided over silly things.

Vijay Amrite: I don’t think Shiv Sena is serious about Bhagwat. The facial expressions and language of Sanjay Raut in the interview were sarcastic.

Anthony Chackolas: Seems like he (Sanjay Raut) is still not sure that India is already a Hindu Rashtra. Clown. Make India a beautiful land to live in with its citizens who have their freedom and rights.

Vinay Kapoor: India should be a Hindu Rashtra. Secularism is the biggest scam in India. People gather in support of terrorists like Yakub Memon and Burhan Wani. Liberal Hindus are most worst (sic), even worse than terrorists.

Hindu Rashtra is the only way out and why should we be secular when others are interested in only hate politics and forceful conversions?

Vijayakumar Kb: No, Mohan Bhagwat is not the right choice. The BJP should not fall into the trap set by the Shiv Sena. It has proposed Bhagwat’s name so that there will be opposition against him throughout the country. Watch out, Modiji.

Saba Alim: The BJP wants LK Advani to be the president of India and Shiv Sena wants Mohan Bhagwat, but both candidates have the same ideology – Hindutva.  Better choose any senior and secular person.

Bani Roy Choudhury: No, it is not the right choice. He is a staunch Hindutva figure and the president must be a clean figure with no leanings as we are a secular country. Sorry, Bhagwat has none of these qualities.

Ravindran Mundath: It’s pure politics by Shiv Sena. Setting the cat among the pigeons… it’s trying to put the BJP on the back foot and also trying to deflect attention from (Ravindra) Gaikwad issue. Smart move, Shiv Sena.

Tapak Riba: No. A constitutional head must be a liberal and intellectual enough in every field of knowledge. If Bhagwat becomes president, our love for Modi and his push for development will be shattered.

Shakeel Ahmed Shaikh: He is the right person; he should not only to be a president, but the prime minister as well. Don't delay this process.

Selena Vincent Morris: Yes, if India has to be a Hindu Rashtra, then Mohan Bhagwat is the right choice. Or even Pravin Togadia, Yogi Adityanath or any hardcore Hindutva figure can be made the president.

Afsal Rahim: I would support his candidature if he can get a free first class air ticket for me to a country of my choice for permanent relocation.

Jagmohan Paul: Muslims can become presidents and vice-presidents, but if it is a Hindu he becomes a “lame” or an “idiot”. This is typical Muslim mentality.

Yadvinder Singh: Can anyone tell me what would happen if India becomes a Hindu Rashtra?

Quasar Jan: When you can make Modi the PM, Yogi the CM. Why can't you make Mohan Bhagwat the president of India.Go ahead, give it a try!

Also read - It's not just Muslims, this is how Adityanath views Christians and women