NEW DELHI: Dr APJ Kalam has been India's president for last five years. He is regarded as arguably the best president India has ever seen. Highly educated, knowledgeable and a man of high integrity, he is a very apolitical leader as a president should be and has been able to connect to people of all ages.

The whole generation of youth has been inspired by this mild mannered President.One can say that Dr Kalam had played by the book when it came to putting his signature on the constitutional matters (imposing president's rule in Bihar may be the only questionable decision that can be attributed to him).If there was one thing the BJP can be proud of providing India with, it was a great president. Sure, there were other presidents who were men of great integrity and intellect, but they typically acted as figure heads or ceremonial presidents or even worse, a rubber stamp, unlike Dr Kalam.

When NDA led by BJP proposed Dr Kalam for President, every political party, including Congress supported his nomination and praised him. So why is it that Congress decided not to extend his nomination for another term even though he was such a highly successful president? More importantly, why did they propose Pratibha Patil, a practically unknown political light weight with a questionable past?It is true that presidency is used to reward aging party loyalists, who would become nothing but rubberstamps.

Other than first President Rajendra Prasad, no one else has served two terms and there is no compulsion to keep Dr Kalam for second term, but why replace the most successful President, who has the largest public following and support in such haste without giving any reasons? A negotiated refusal to second term may have provided a face saver for Congress, but it did not happen. Why?

Well, there are many reasons for this illogical behavior (not that politicians need to be logical). For starters, it could be a revenge factor. Dr Kalam had asked some uncomfortable questions about Sonia Gandhi's citizenship and about her holding "position for profit" when she wanted to become prime minister in 2004. Secondly, Congress needs a rubberstamp President who would oblige to the whims of Sonia Gandhi in run up to the upcoming state elections and the national elections. Sonia Gandhi is looking for someone who would be willing to impose presidential rule in states ruled by opposition (Gujarat and Rajasthan come immediately to mind) on some flimsy excuses.

It is entirely possible that this could be quid-pro-quo to wash off all of Patil's past ills (as a President, she can't be questioned or tried by the courts) and in return she would share her fortune with her party president (Sonia Gandhi of course). Finally, it should not be put past Sonia to make yet another attempt to occupy Prime Minister's office or possibly install her son to the position.

A friendly president would come handy in this situation.So why choose Pratibha Patil?

First and foremost, this lady has so many skeletons in the closet; even cemeteries would be put to shame.Some of the scams she is involved in include bank fraud with nepotism, stealing from poor women depositors, Sugar factory scam, land grabbing, discriminating against members of lower caste, shielding a murderer and a torturer. All this was done either directly or indirectly with the help of family members and she has played major role in covering it up. She is also holding a position for profit.

The same charges Congress used to kick Jaya Bhaduri out of Rajya Sabha. A full expose is done by likes of Arun Shourie and information (with complete documentation and legal papers) as this is available on the internet by visiting http://www.know- pratibhapatil.com/These allegations are not just made by the opposition, but by the victims, Reserve Bank and they have also been documented long time ago. The media for a change has acted properly and promptly to highlight these misdeeds. Congress has attempted to project this as a case of women empowerment, but Pratibha Patil is not the poster woman.

If they wanted women to progress, why did they not support Laxmi Sehagal earlier when nominated by CPI? After all, she was a real freedom fighter, who was part of Subhash Chandra Bose's INA, no matter what her political views are at present. Will the Congress party led by a woman (Sonia Gandhi) pass women's reservation bill to prove their women friendly image?

Could they not find any other woman who is reasonably clean?

They could have even picked Chief Minister of New Delhi Sheila Dixit, who needs a reassignment after debacle in local elections recently.The most unfortunate aspect of this circus is the silence of our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Barring a single comment claiming this (highlighting Patil's misdeeds) to be mudslinging, he has not said a thing on the issue.Pratibha Patil's election is the biggest blow to India and democracy at large.

How can India garner respect of the world if she is represented by Patil?

Of course, I can't end a piece without letting you know that my favorite South Asian Journalist Association (SAJA) discussion group did not have time to discuss this issue until about a month after the topic came up and that too briefly, yet they have managed to find ample time to discuss boycott of Israel.