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| Dead Chandrashekhar could yet help Shekhawat! | | |
BL KAK
NEW DELHI, JULY 10: Former Prime Minister, Chandrashekhar, is dead. But his demise could galvanise Opposition Presidential nominee, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat's support base among the Rajputs.Chandrashekhar, who died on Sunday, had endorsed Shekhawat's candidature for the top constitutional post last month from his hospital bed, describing the latter as a leader with secular credentials.
"I wholeheartedly and without any reservation endorse/propose the election of Shekhawat as our next President. He combines a lifetime's experience of dedicated public service with rare qualities of head and heart", Chandrashekhar had said in a statement after Shekhawat called on the ailing former Prime Minister on June 15, the day after the rival United Progressive Alliance-Left Front nominated Pratibha Patil to run for the post.
Chandrashekhar had place himself on record as saying: "A public figure of eminence and high repute, Shekhawat has discharged his responsibilities with impeccable secular credentials. He is deserving support from all of us". Chandrashekhar's appeal was meant to prop up the secular credentials of Shekhawat, whose past association with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the pro-Hindu Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was threatening to deny him votes of parties with a broader secularist outlook.
However, more than that, the meeting was also aimed at making Shekhawat acceptable to all voters in the electoral college keen on a Rajput candidate. Chandrashekhar too belonged to the Rajput caste and his demise, many feel, may help Shekhawat garner votes of the Rajput voters and the smaller secular parties.
While as the former Prime Minister, he was accorded a state funeral, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh going out of his way to accompany his funeral procession and being present along with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi while his pyre was lit on Monday is seen as more than just a gesture to the departed leader.
"They (Singh and Sonia) went out of their way to ensure his nominee Shekhawat does not runaway with the sympathy vote and create problems for their own nominee Pratibha Patil", sources close to Shekhawat said. The Shekhawat camp is ready with a blueprint to exploit the sentiment
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