by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
Exclusive
Modi’s President pick is a non-RSS man
Kovind was blessed for top post on May 3
He campaigned for Modi in 2014 Lok Sabha polls
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, June 20
It was a sheer luck and non-controversial political journey that made Ram Nath Kovind to be the BJP’s presidential candidate.
Though Kovind was a light weight and had no connection whatsoever with the RSS during his political journey in the BJP. Yet Prime Minister Narendra Modi zeroed on him as he wanted a Dalit leader from UP only. Surprisingly, there was no Dalit leader worth a name who was senior enough to be picked up for the post of the President.
It was Dr Murli Manohar Joshi who brought him into the BJP in 1991. Joshi was party’s president then. Since Kovind was a standing counsel of the Government in the Supreme Court for the past 11 years and well-educated and the BJP was trying to expand its Dalit out-reach then, the party was happy to admit him into the fold. In 1994, Atal Behari Vajpayee and L K Advani gave him Raya Sabha seat and he was repeated in 2000 or another term.
It was surprising that after his retirement in 2006, he was in political wilderness for almost eight years. The BJP leadership gave him no responsibility as Rajnath Singh didn’t like him. Incidentally, Rajnath Singh didn’t attend the BJP parliamentary Board’s meeting which approved Kovind’s selection as Presidential candidate. The official reason given was that Rajnath Singh broke his knee during morning walk. Incidentally, Kovind’s only major political assignment was in 2014 when he was stationed at Varanasi for Modi’s poll campaign. He never looked back since then.
It is somewhat strange that the RSS leadership has not reacted to the selection of Kovind so far. Its now two days and the RSS is quiet.
Sources say that the RSS leadership reported to have urged the PM and Amit Shah that the next President should be of RSS origin. But Modi picked up Kovind saying there is no Dalit leader of stature from UP for the post. Though Thawar Chand Gehlot and Satya Narain Jatia are prominent Dalit leaders. But they belonged to Madhya Pradesh and Modi wanted only from UP.
But eyewitnesses say that there was a hidden hand of divine power also behind the emergence of Kovind for the coveted post. Kovind as Governor of Bihar visited India’s first Handicapped University at Chitrakoot on May 3. He paid respect to the founder of the University Jagadguru Ram Bhadracharyaji. Though completely blind, the Jagadguru told Kovind like this, “Though I can’t see with my eyes. But I can say that you will get the highest post.” He blessed Kovind who touched Jagadguru’s feet.
It may be mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a disciple of Jagatguru Ram Bhadracharyaji and derived his idea of doing a lot for handicapped from him. Modi bestowed the Jagadguru with Padma Vibhushan in January 2015.
When asked BJP vice president Prabhat Jha and Rajya Sabha MP confirmed that such a prediction was made by the Jagadguru in his presence only.
