A touch of East Bengal FC in the 14th Indian Presidential Election

Thursday, July 19, 2012 Report by Amartya Dasgupta

On the 19th day of July, 2012 the 14th Indirect Presidential Election to elect the 13th President of India will be held. The last date for filing the nominations was on 30 June, 2012 and the votes would be counted on 22nd July, 2012. This time the two leading candidates for the office of the presidency are Pranab Mukherjee from Bengal and P.A. Sangma from Meghalaya. While Mr. Mukherjee has been the former finance minister of India, Mr. Sangma was the former Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

The question might arise why EBRP being a football fan club is showing keen interest on this year’s Presidential Polls? Here lies the answer: The East Bengal Foot Ball Club is known for its rich heritage and culture. Many eminent personalities have been Life Members of this esteemed Club. One such distinguished personality is none other than our Presidential Candidate for this year Mr. Pranab Mukherjee. On 1st of August, 2010 on the occasion of East Bengal Clubs’ Foundation Day, Mr. Mukherjee has been conferred the honorary Life Membership for our beloved Club. The entire team of EBRP wishes Good Luck to Mr. Pranab Mukherjee for this years’ Presidential Polls.

Mr. Pranab Mukherjee has been a politician par excellence. He has proven his ability time and again while chairing the Finance Ministry of India for the years 1982-84 and 2009-2012. In 1998 he was appointed as the General Secretary for All India Congress Committee (AICC). Prior to that year in 1997 Mr. Mukherjee was voted “Outstanding Parliamentarian” by the “Indian Parliamentary Group”. He is also the recipient of “The Best Administrator in India” award in 2011.  In his professional career Mr. Mukherjee has been the chairman of the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata. He is also the former chairman and president of the “Rabindra Bharati University” and the “Nikhil Bharat Banga Sahitya Sammelan”. Mr. Mukherjee also used to be on the Planning Board of the Asiatic Society.  A man of this stature, needless to mention is the rightful candidate for the Prez Polls.

India is a Democratic country and the Nation will accept the 13th President through a fair polling. So who ever is the winner, be it Mr. Mukherjee or Mr. Sangma, India has to wait till July 22, 2012. But Mr. Mukherjee as we have already mentioned is an honorary member of the East Bengal Club. So we will definitely want to see him, our beloved member of East Bengal Foot Ball Club been presiding the most coveted position of the country. A Red-n-Gold thumbs up for him from the entire EBRP fraternity.