DNA Edit | Pranab-da: An unbelievable journey

In 2005, just ahead of the then Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to the US, Ambassador David Mulford wrote to the then Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld addressing Mukherjee as the “Prime Minister-in-waiting”. This wasn’t the first time that Mukherjee — who will be vacating his office today for the 14th President Ram Nath Kovind to take over — was being considered for the post of Prime Minister. In 1984, after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, Mukherjee, then the Finance Minister, was largely considered by many to be in the run-up to the post of the PM, even if as an interim one.

However, with a consensus emerging in favour of Rajiv Gandhi replacing his mother as the PM, Mukherjee’s prospects came to an abrupt halt. When, at last in 2012, the Congress did back him for the post of President, it was a due that a political legacy such as his — marked as it was by numerous stints as Finance, Defence, and External Affairs Minister, not to mention his enlightened leadership of many GoMs and EGoMs — truly deserved. Back in 2012, when Mukherjee was in the running for the post of the President, he had an incredible 39 years of experience as a Union minister under his belt. Multiple stints working as one of the strongest leaders in the higher echelons of the Congress meant that Mukherjee’s skill-set in negotiating the strained terrain of political wranglings and parliamentary power play was second to none.

This political baptism groomed Mukherjee to adeptly handle a constitutional position with a gravitas that was sorely lacking in past Presidents like Zail Singh, who had repeated run-ins with PM Rajiv Gandhi, or Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, who so easily submitted to the imposition of Emergency in India. Contrasted with them, Mukherjee’s handling of his term has been that of a ‘copybook President’, and one that highlights the very pragmatism and acuity that Mukherjee displayed in his long political career.

In his term, he faced his own share of troubles, chiefly among them a country that is dangerously flirting with radicalism and one caught in the throes of vigilantism and mob justice. Mukherjee, true to his political lineage and years of dealing with world leaders, rose to the occasion and spoke his mind calling on Indians to be vigilant enough to protect the basic tenets of our democracy. Many interpreted this to be Mukherjee’s salvo against the ruling executive, but unmissable in this prescription was his diplomatic tenor that prevented any souring of his relationship with PM Narendra Modi.