‘The most unsuccessful candidate’, a husband-wife duo, a tea-stall owner, a sadhu and ‘the man with the most number of tattoos’ – were all in the race along with Ram Nath Kovind and Meira Kumar for the office of President.
With 93 of the 95 nominations rejected, only the two most promising candidates remain in the race. Here’s a look at those for who didn’t make the cut.
K Padmarajan, Salem
Popularly known as ‘the election king’, Padmarajan has unsuccessfully contested over 150 polls – against Narendra Modi, former chief ministers J Jayalalithaa and MK Karunanidhi, former presidents Abdul Kalam, and many other prominent personalities. He holds the record for being the ‘most unsuccessful candidate’ in the Limca Book of Records.
Saira Bano Mohammed Patel and Mohammed Patel, Mumbai
This Mumbai couple hopes to be the President and Vice President of India. Apparently, the couple has already created history by being the first couple to concurrently run in the presidential election. They are now trying to gather as much support as possible from local MLAs to try and make it to the next round of the race, which requires them to have the backing of 50 eligible voters and 50 seconders, here voters being MLAs and MPs.
Talking to BloombergQuint, the couple say that their objective is to prove that every Indian citizen has the right to contest for the post of President.
When the time came for the nominations to be filed for the elections to the post of President of India, I decided to contest, but not alone. I decided that even my wife would contest with me so that the world could see how democracy works in India.Mohammed Patel to BloombergQuint
But even after getting the requisite signatures, only one of them can be President. When the returning officer who accepted their nominations asked them so, Patel replied:
We told him then that the election for the post of vice president would start in two month’s time. We’ll give that a shot too!
Kondekar Vijayprakash, Pune
A bare-chested dhoti-clad man, Kondekar Vijayprakash looked like a sadhu on the day he filed his nominations, according to an NDTV report. In his nomination papers, Vijayprakash is said to have written:
I know my nomination paper will be rejected. A layman like me cannot obtain 100 signatures. I am crazy but one should be crazy. Sir, our institutions like Parliament (are) locked and the prison of political parties. (sic)
Anand Singh Kushwaha, Gwalior
Contesting the presidential elections for the fourth time, 49-year-old Anand Singh Kushwaha has 20 electoral defeats to his credit. A tea-vendor from Gwalior, he has also contested for the vice-president’s office in the past. Speaking to Times of India, he says:
I am in touch with MPs and MLAs of UP. I couldn’t get enough votes in the past, but have been assured of support this time.
Kushwaha raises money for the nomination by saving a small amount every day. During election time, he cycles around rallying for support, while his wife manages the tea stall.
Waiting For Their Turn
Apart from the above names, the Election Commission saw the nomination of a self-proclaimed record-holder, who described himself as "Ripley's Guinness Rishi", claiming that he had a record number of tattoos on his body.
There also was a surprise name – Lalu Prasad Yadav – who is also among the 90-odd people who filed their papers. Though RJD supremo Lalu Prasad cannot contest any election because of a conviction, his namesake from Bihar's Saran district had submitted papers for the poll.
It seems these days more people are coming to the Parliament to become the president than going to Mumbai to become an actor.Lok Sabha secretariat to PTI
(With inputs from PTI)
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