Political Expediency and The Presidency

Mulayam Singh Yadav has been credited to have said that his party would support any formation at the centre that would remove a democratically elected Chief Minister. This article is in light of alleged political deals being made on the dismissal of the Mayawati Government in UP.

In the words of Richard Armour
“Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.”

The Indian Presidency for long has been cast under the shadow of political malice. The election of the President every five years brings to my mind only one thought that is of irresponsible political polemicisim.

The party politics we are talking about today is a represents the fragmentation of the Indian people. The Indian people today do not bother to vote; even if they do the wrong people are being elected. From representatives and the servants of the people politicians have become tyrannical monarchs. We are responsible for the creation of this breed of rulers. Here I would like to quote Edmund Burke “For evil to flourish; the good have to nothing and evil shall flourish”.

The President is not merely a Chancellor sitting at convocations, but an important constitutional functionary. The President is required to act independently and his actions require constitutional knowledge as well political wisdom .Many Presidents from Rajendra Prasad to A P J Abdul Kalam have done just that - acted with political wisdom - while others - like Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and Zail Singh - have been accused of meekly towing the line of the central leadership. No wonder you today call the presidency a stamp. The frequent use of Article 356 of the Constitution is an instance of the Presidency being marred by party politics. The Janta Party Government made N. Sanjiva Reddy dismiss 9 state governments as they thought the Congress had no moral reason to be in government since they were put out of power in the centre. As soon as Mrs. Gandhi was back in power the same state governments were again dismissed by the same president.


A President is with out doubt a ceremonial Head of State. The Constitution of India empowers the President to be the conscience of the state. The President of India has to be a person who inspires the people to achieve enormous success- Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam perhaps personifies that. It is also vital that the Presidency should command the trust and respect from the people which would actually mean belief in the Government.

In the words of Ernest Benn
“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy.”