Making of a President: A political blockbuster

THE BIG QUESTIONS: Panelists debate if Pratibha Patil makes for an ideal President.

            

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Keywords: Counting, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat

Pratibha Patil on Saturday became India's first woman President albeit after one of the most controversial Presidential elections in Indian history.

While the result was a foregone conclusion, it was the margin of victory that was truly impressive.

Patil defeated nearest rival – NDA-backed vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat – by more than three lakh votes.

The former governor of Rajasthan took an early lead when she bagged 223 votes in Andhra Pradesh - a considerable lead over Shekhawat who managed just two votes in the state. The value of one MLA's vote in Andhra Pradesh is 148.

After the results were announced, Patil described her victory as a ‘victory of principles and victory of right thinking’ by the people.

Patil, who had been haunted by unsubstantiated Opposition charges of corruption, fraud and improprieties, won almost 11,000 more votes than expected.

Shekhawat got 3,31,306 votes.

But while she may have started her campaign as an apparently clean candidate, Patil ended it as the most controversial one.

Therefore, it comes as no surprise that her ascent to Rashtrapati Bhavan has raised several questions - questions that could hold the key to the institution of the Presidency.

Also, comparisons are already being made between her and outgoing president A P J Abdul Kalam.

Will Patil be merely a rubber stamp or can she match the charisma of Kalam?

CNN-IBN’s special show Madam President, conducted by Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai raised several pertinent questions about India’s new President and the institution of Presidency.

On the panel to discuss the issues were Congress leader Ashwani Kumar; Editor-In-Chief The Pioneer Chandan Mitra and Rajya Sabha MP,National Affairs Editor CNN-IBN Diptosh Majumdar; Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu and actress Pooja Bedi.