Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, strong contender for becomimg the next president of India
There are several names being discussed for the next president of India, the election for whom is going to be held on July 18. The result is going to be announced on July 21. Some are being considered as strong contenders by political experts.
One of them is the Telangana governor and Puducherry lieutenant-governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan. A doctor who passed from Madras Medical College, she has been a lifelong BJP member, right from her days as a student leader.
She has several things going for her, the first and foremost being a woman. India has had only one woman president till now, Pratibha Patil, brought into office with the help of the UPA government. Therefore, this would give Prime Minister Modi and his government some bragging rights.
The Narendra Modi government has made several efforts to promote the welfare of women, including inducting as many as 11 as ministers, the highest in the last 18 years.
And Dr Soundararajan has always been a strong votary for women’s rights. Among other things, in 2021, she was presented the Top 20 Global Women of Excellence Award for 2020, instituted by the US Congressional Multi Advisory Task Force, with none other than US Vice-President Kamala Harris as a co-awardee.
There are other reasons too. She is from southern India, a region where the BJP has not had much success except in Karnataka. Also, Dr Soundararajan is from Tamil Nadu, where the saffron party has a negligible presence.
The other strong reason, yes, strong indeed, considering Modi and Shah’s proclivities, is that she is a lightweight candidate, not having much of a political influence, and therefore fit to be a rubber stamp. Of course, she won’t be the first such.
Against this background, Dr Soundararajan can surely be considered a strong contender for the president of India. And if she becomes, she would also become the first medical doctor to assume the highest post in India.
